Loving a Killer
by SnowyNeko
Summary: Esther Bryant grew up close with Shogo Makashima. She learned of his violent tendencies when she was young, but stayed around him despite that. She's grown to love him. Even so, she knows there is no future for the two of them. They are bound to be separated, one way or another. But until then, she'll live with a serial killer. Can they destroy Sybil before the inevitable happens?
1. Chapter 1

I'm back! Well, temporarily. I want to write at least another chapter before I start actively posting again, but that shouldn't take too long. I thought I should start with uploading this prologue first, since I have it ready to go. This is going to be a romance, but I don't plan on focusing too much on it. This is going to be a lot like another one I've written, where I slip my OC into the actual story line, accompanying the love interest. If you want to see what I'm talking about, go check out The Britannian Princess. I plan on being more thorough with this one, though. That means longer, with more events, and more in depth. It'll be more focused on character development than actual story, but I hope it'll be entertaining! I'm experimenting here. So please, enjoy.

* * *

I was only three when I met the boy who would end up being the focal point of my life. It's the first and earliest memory I have. It was only a couple of days after we moved to Japan, within the first few years of Sybil being put into action. Mommy and Daddy were adamant about getting to know our new neighbors, but I hated them all. They were all strangers who looked different and spoke a different language. Frankly, I was scared of them. I wasn't one of those joyful darlings who loved everyone they met.

Sure, there were a few children my age, but they all spoke Japanese, which at the time was foreign to me. When Mommy and Daddy invited yet _another_ family over for dinner, I stubbornly locked myself in my room and held onto my stuffed bluebird tight enough to strangle it. At the sound of knocking, I hid under my covers, but the voice I heard on the other side of my bedroom door didn't belong to either of my parents. Even so, it was perfect English.

"Our parents sent me to get you, Esther."

I threw back the sheets and darted to the door. Only when I was reaching to unlatch the lock did I hesitate. It was a boy on the other side of the door, I could tell by his voice. I'd never talked with a boy that wasn't Daddy's age.

I waited, but there wasn't anything else. He didn't knock again, nor did he speak. I swung the door open, convinced he was gone. Of course, he hadn't left. I remember he looked quite surprised that I'd actually come out.

I stood there in wonder, completely captivated by the older boy before me. His shocked eyes were a wide amber, his scraggly hair pure white. Even in my toddler eyes, he was beautiful. Getting over his initial reaction, he extended his hand to me and said two words.

"Come on." I grabbed onto his hand, keeping Blue, my bluebird, tucked close to me in my other arm. He brought me down to dinner, but I refused to let go of him. Here was someone closer to my age, who could speak the language I could understand. I didn't peep out a word that night. I can't recall what we ate, but I sat between Mommy and the boy.

I heard her say to the other woman, "It seems that Esther's taken a liking to your son." The woman responded in Japanese. That night, I learned the name of the person who was bound to become my most important person.

I was three, and Shogo Makashima was eight.

It wasn't until I was four that I discovered his fatal flaw. For the past year, I'd hung around him as often as I could. I wasn't old enough to go to school yet, so I had infinite time on my hands. The days Shogo had to go to classes, I'd tag along with his mother to pick him up. There might've been a five year difference, but he was the only one I considered a friend.

He tended to ignore me when I was around, but it didn't bother me in the least. All that mattered to me is that, when he talked, I could understand what he was saying. I quickly learned that he loved to read, and whenever he was doing so he didn't want me doing anything noisy.

My parents were delighted when I took an active interest in reading, but I still could only comprehend the simplest of things. Sometimes I would peek over Shogo's shoulder to see what he was reading. Half the time it was in English, the other half it was in kanji. Every now and again it'd be in some other abstract language. Whenever it was English, I'd try to mouth the words to myself. He didn't like when I read aloud. I made amazing progress within a single year thanks to him

It all happened on a Sunday.

I had woken up early and realized it was a day Shogo wouldn't have school. Without asking, I left the house and went over to the Makashima's. I was in such a rush I didn't even change out of my pj's using my compact mirror. I wanted to tell him that I finished the book I picked up two days earlier, which was the fastest I'd gotten through one.

His dad was leaving for work and told me Shogo was in his room. His father and mother had been learning English, just as I'd been slowly learning Japanese. I let myself into the house and bounded up the stairs. I sprinted down the hall, as his room was at the end. I had to use both hands to twist the knob and open the door. The sight that met my eyes was one that no child should ever have to witness.

A knife plunged into a puppy's neck so it couldn't even let out a yelp. Shogo twisted it deeper as I watched, and it convulsed for some time before going limp. He drew the knife out and the blood spurted out, splattering onto his face. The entire time, his expression remained blank. His white skin and lovely hair were stained with blood. Unable to scream, I stood, frozen. As he cleaned the red from the knife, I could clearly hear my heart pounding in my ears.

It was around that time when he finally noticed me. It was obvious he hadn't been expecting me so early. The second I met his eyes, I bolted. I ran all the way back to my room and threw myself onto my bed and cried. I couldn't erase the image of the dying puppy from my mind.

The next morning, when I woke up, my automated hawk warned me that my hue had become clouded and that I should seek counseling. I ignored it, and ended up starving myself until sunset. After everyone else was asleep, I crept into the kitchen. I sat down with a half gallon of ice cream and began to collect myself. I was tired, young, and confused, but the cold sweetness cleared me up. Not being a complicated kid, I thought it through to the best of my ability and decided he was still my only friend, so I had to accept him.

When I got up the next day, my hue was clear and I was determined to make up with him. Mommy and Daddy were worried, of course, when I came down for breakfast. I didn't respond to any of their questions, but ate the food in front of me like there was nothing out of the ordinary. I chose a purple dress with matching hair bows to wear and sneaked out of the house. I was smart enough to realize I wouldn't be allowed to go if I asked.

Standing on my toes, I rang the doorbell at the Makashima house. The mother was th one who answered.

"Esther!You have not been here the past few days. Did Shogo do something?" I shook my head. "Well, he is at school. Do you want me to come get you when I go to get him?"

"Can I wait in his room until then?" I was afraid of my parents being angry with me, which they eventually were when I finally did return. She let me in and I shut myself in his room. I spent my time trying to sound out the titles of the books on the bookshelves. I did my best to keep my mind off the puppy from the other day.

One of the books I recognized instantly. It was a slightly worn hard back with a plain brown cover. It read _Sherlock Holmes._ It was one he read often.

At some point, I got bored and curled up on his bed. I must've fallen asleep. Next thing I knew, I was shaken awake. I startled when I saw Shogo, the images of blood running through my head. Shaking it off, I sucked it up and grabbed _Sherlock Holmes_ , which I had taken out beforehand.

"Will you read this to me?"

He paused for a second, taken off guard, but then he smiled. It was the first time I'd seen him happy, so I grinned back in satisfaction. We spent the remainder of the day reading, with me listening intently to the story. Much of it I didn't understand and I asked about everything, to which he'd explain in the simplest way he could. I enjoyed this reading session so much more than all the others, and him killing the animal completely slipped my mind. Neither of us ever mentioned it again.

As we aged, we learned that our esteemed Sybil system couldn't recognize him, and his murderous tendencies grew. He was a teenager when he killed his first human. I didn't observe the event, but he told me about it. It had been a man, a latent criminal who was being hunted down by the police. Society wouldn't recognize his death because of his mental health.

Shogo's situation actually seemed somewhat logical once he explained it. The man had tried to take him hostage, so he 'fought back'. He killed him. If it was ever discovered, it would be written off as self defense, or even an accident.

The day he turned eighteen, I wasn't quite thirteen. He told me he was planning on disappearing. He wanted to challenge Sybil, which was taking away people's right to act and governing our lives to the point of us depending on it for survival. It was making us into submissive sheep. With his unstainable psycho pass, he could vanish like a ghost. I refused to accept that unless he brought me with him.

Of course, I knew he didn't need my consent, and that my hue was as changeable as anyone else's. I couldn't fade away like he could. But still, he let me come along. I told my parents I would be staying with him. I'd still go to school, I'd still take my psycho pass medication, and I would be mostly independent. I had school, and Shogo had 'work', after all. They were upset, spouting that I couldn't stay with an eighteen year old boy, but Shogo stepped in and was able to convince them. He always had a way with words.

We've been living together ever since. The most serious question would be: How can I keep a healthy, stable mind living with a killer? The answer is, I can't. I'm not like him. There are times when my hue becomes so clouded that I have to skip going out for days at a time. It interfered with school when I was younger, and now, it interferes with work. I just graduated from college, and things will only be more difficult from here on out.

* * *

In case anyone was wondering, I assure you the dog was a stray. So, any opinions on Esther? As I've done with all my stories, I'm leaving the description out initially so you can imagine her however you want. If the majority of you want me to describe her, I can. I have an image of her in my mind. However, I won't describe her unless a certain number of people specifically request it. I will tell you how I imagine her in the last chapter as I always do, but before I do that, I'd love to hear how you imagine her! Tell my how you see her, and I'll also add that in in the last chapter. I always like to hear what you think of my characters!

Till then, Kisses from SnowyNeko! :3 MEOW!


	2. Chapter 2

So this is technically chapter one. I usually write mini conversations I have with the characters before I begin each chapter, but I don't think I'll be doing it this time unless it is specifically requested. This takes place when Esther is all grown up, and she's been living with Shogo ever since she was thirteen. I'm not sure how to describe their home, but it's a fair sized place. It isn't too big, though, since they're the only two people who are ever there. I imagine it to be very open, with large windows, but the walls are dull colors. When it comes to appliances like the fridge or oven, they have them, but only what they need. They buy the bare minimum they need to live comfortably. I don't think I'll get the chance to describe it in the story, so I'm taking the chance to now.

And now that that's covered, on to the story!

* * *

"They've started calling it Edith's Justice," I note, removing my headset.

"People seek security, Esther. You're giving them the feeling that their need for revenge is just, or if it isn't, you stop them. You are like a god to them."

I laugh. "I'm a therapist, this is my job. They prefer Edith to me."

"That is because they are unable to acknowledge their own faults to others," he points out. I set away my headgear and pull up the stats of avatar popularity. My server has skyrocketed since it started a few months ago, for the exact reasons Shogo has mentioned.

I just recently graduated from college and got what Sybil deemed to be a suitable job. I'm a therapist, but I work online for the most part. It's much more effective when the patient believes they're anonymous. I chose the name of the server to be Edith's Revenge, and advise ways to get back at people without harming anyone or clouding their hues. If I think the motive to be petty, I talk them out if it to the best of my ability. It's a simple idea, but people have latched onto it like fish to a hook.

I spin around in my chair to face Shogo. "So, what is it you find so fascinating about this one?" I haven't seen Shogo himself kill for years, which has me relieved and my hue steady and clear, but he's a master manipulator. He can control people to the point where, even when they know he's pulling the strings, they either can't help but go along with it, or they don't care. He's an absolute feast for the mind. He has his puppets do the dirty work for him, and I'm just fine with that. Or, I guess I should say, I'm just happy he isn't the one who's pulling the trigger.

Recently he's been assisting a criminal with a passion for online avatars. The boy is what you might call the number one fan of all computerized idols. In my opinion, the guy's devotion to them is kind of creepy, but Shogo only plays with toys that have caught his eye. With things like that being his taste, it makes me wonder why he keeps me around.

"Don't you wonder?" he asks, looking up from the Shakespearean play in his lap. "He takes on the role of thee characters so effortlessly. How does he do it? What is his true face?"

"It sounds to me like an identity crisis. He doesn't know who he is, so he's able to easily act out other personalities. He's trying them on." Shogo's phone rings and he listens.

He hangs up after saying, "Prepare a trap for the hunting dogs, or at least leave an escape route for our fox." I take a sip of coffee and choke. He forgot to add sweetener again. I'm touched that he always makes me a cup on late nights, but he knows I hate things bitter.

"So," I start, setting it down, "they've made their move?"

"They've set bait Talisman cannot refuse," he tells me. I nod. The only thing I can think of that would put him in such a position would be an offline avatar party. He did say Talisman, not the kid's name after all. He must've been invited by a major server leaders working with MWPSB.

"When is it?"

"Tonight."

"I'll go then, to supervise. I want to know what the inspectors' avatars are."

He stares at me for a second. "I have no complaints as long as you get yourself out before the dogs can catch you."

"They won't be able to as long as I keep my psycho pass clear. I mean, they might get suspicious if their dominators tell them I'm showing no signs of stress, but they won't be able to shoot me. There isn't much they can do without Sybil's guns. Besides, I'm innocent in their eyes. Talisman has never even been to Edith's server, so they'll have nothing to connect us."

He closes his book and stands, going to the doorway. "If you want to go, get some sleep."

"You too. More than just a few hours tonight." He doesn't respond, leaving me alone in my room. I sigh and change into my nightshirt and sweatpants. He'll probably wake up at sunrise again. It can't be healthy for him, getting so little sleep.

When I climb in bed, Snowball squawks, "Goodnight!"

"Shut up you stupid cockatoo," I mutter. "You three need sleep as well." I've always liked birds. Over the past few years, I've collected a cockatoo, a parrot, and a canary.

"Goodnight!" the parrot mimics. I shush him and slide under the covers. I hope they weren't annoying Shogo while I was online. He doesn't particularly like the two bigger ones, but he seems to like Song, my canary. She's learned to sing complex tunes from famous composers, and she's beautiful to listen to. As I relax, she starts into a soft and repetitive song that helps lull me to sleep.

It's mid afternoon when I wake up. The first thing I do is check the birds' food and water before I head to the kitchen. I would really love a link of sausage, or a strip of bacon, but there's not a pound of meat in this place. Shogo's been a vegetarian for as long as I can remember. I settle for an orange and pull up today's news. Still no word on our avatar stealer.

I smirk. Of course there isn't. This is a world wallowing in corruption, despite our efforts to cleanse it. Nothing important is released to the public anymore. Our lovely Sybil System won't allow it so we don't get stressed.

I close the screen and come nose to beak with my holographic hawk. "Your hue is bright today, so let's work to keep it that way!"

"Good morning to you too, Hunter." Since he's the one who reads my psycho pass, this computerized bird knows how explosive my hue is as well as I do. Shogo somehow hacked into him to disconnect him from from Sybil to the extent where he can still read my psycho pass, but none of the data returns to Sybil itself. I have no idea how that works, but I'm not nearly as tech savvy as he and his underlings are. All I know is that I can check to make sure I haven't gotten cloudy without Sybil being alerted to my mental health.

My watch opens a holograph with an address typed onto it. The sender is named as anonymous, but I recognize who it is anyway. We have each other's contact information memorized, but none of it is saved just in case. You have to be careful with technology.

"Hunter, get me my Edith costume."

"Right away." My worn pj's transform into a sleek black dress that drags on the ground. My hair gets shocked into a vibrant purple, curly and bouncy. Two fangs protrude in my mouth and I roll my tongue back. I've never liked the pointy teeth, but I can't just change my avatar after becoming so popular. Bat wings materialize between my arms and torso, and there are suddenly shimmering black heels on my feet instead of fuzzy blue slippers. I created Edith with the image of mysterious authority in mind. Many people choose to forgo their usual human figure, but keeping it actually has a powerful psychological effect. They tend to gravitate towards me without realizing it because, in comparison to most online characters, I seem human and familiar.

If I leave now, I'll be at least an hour early, but it'll give me time to scope out the area and plan my exit. Also, it'll give me an idea of where the police might hideout in case they come beforehand. They'll likely try to attend the party undercover, which will give me the chance to learn their avatars. I'm sure they have one or two new detectives from the graduating class, and you never know when they might add an extra enforcer. It'll be beneficial if I can learn their identities before we actually come in contact with them.

I decide not to carry a weapon, cause it'd most likely raise my crime coefficient. I've never killed anyone, but I've hurt people before when absolutely necessary. I hate it. When something like that happens, I have to avoid the psycho pass scanners for at least a few hours before I can calm down. I've found ways to clear my hue quickly through much experience.

"I'm off. Hunter, don't let Snowball or Cranberry bother the neighbors." I catch a cab and give him the location. He gives my outfit an odd look, but takes me there without saying anything about it. Full holosuits aren't that unusual. I don't entirely understand why cabs still require drivers, since cars pretty much drive themselves.

I pay him in cash when we arrive and enter the building. It's empty, but there are colored lights dangling from the ceiling, and bars without bartenders, waiting for the flood of people that is soon to come. There aren't many places to hide, which narrows it down to two distinct possibilities. The first is that the police wont hide. They'll come one by one, just like everyone else. The second is a hallway that connects to the main room. The lights in it are busted, and the only thing it leads to is an extra exit.

If they are planning to come early, that would be the place for them. A number of people could fit there without being noticed. I'll notice, though, cause I'll be looking. But what am I going to do for another forty-five minutes? I flop down on a chair, sighing. I came way too early, but I had to. If the police want to get here before the party started, I had to look around before they arrived.

A light bulb blinks on in my head and go over to the main bar. From it, I grab a bottle of wine. I might as well enjoy myself for the time being. Alcohol isn't found many places these days, and I'm barely over the age to drink.

The lights have begun to sting my eyes. I swirl around the dance floor unable to stop giggling, bumping into people left and right. When did it become so crowded again? My feet tangle together with someone else's and I fall, laughing my head off. It has been forever since I've had this much fun! A vibration at my wrist demands my attention and I look down, seeing Shogo has sent me another message.

 _Remember why you came._

I giggle. "Oh yeah." Shakily, I climb to my feet. Recalling the hallway, I glance in its direction. Sure enough, I catch the flash of a badge in the shadows. What should I do now?

I stumble over and surprise one of the officers in hiding. "I'm tiiired," I moan, falling against one of the detectives. One of the enforcers aims his dominators at me and I snicker, "Am I clouded, ociffer?" Huh, something sounded wrong. "I mean, officer. You gonna arrest me?" I hold out my hands for the handcuffs, but, as expected, he lowers his gun. I grin. My hue's as clear as mud. Wait, is that right? Clear as...ah, whatever. My hue is clear.

"Are you Edith? From Edith's Revenge?" I look up at the girl I'd stumbled into, finally seeing who she actually is.

"Oh, hey Akane. You a dog watcher now?"

"How do you know my name?"

"I memorized everyone's names," hic, "in college. There was Kaitou, Mina, Yuki, Sakura-" I ramble on and on, listing most everyone that we went to school with. When I'm around the one fourth mark, she props me against the wall. I whine, "What was that for?"

Another message on my watch. This one says, _Return home._ I laugh. "Gotta go! Bye Akane! I hope to see you again!" I use the wall to clamber towards the exit at the end of the hall.

Akane yells after me, "Wait, who are you?"

I give her a mock salute in return. "Tell ya later!" Then I turn and continue on my way. When I reach the door, I hear the sound of a forming holograph and glance over my shoulder. Akane is Lemonade Candy. Noted.

I trip out the door and pause to rest. A few seconds later, Talisman darts out past me. The there's another, and another. A giant wave of Talismans pours from the building. I laugh uncontrollably, clutching my stomach. I get it! This is the escape route for the fox! I'd bet the hounds are spinning in circles like lost puppies, taking down new latent criminals left and right.

In all the confusion, I hail a taxi and climb in. Shogo is waiting for me inside. The driver pulls away from the party without any questions and we're on our way home.

"Akane Tsunemori is the new recruit," I yawn. "Her avatar is Lemonade Candy." Even with this new information, when I meet his eyes, it's obvious he's upset.

"Why did you make contact?" I sit in silence, not having any excuses. It just sort of happened, and it had seemed like a good idea at the time.

"Sorry," I grumble. I prop my chin in my hand and my eyes drift shut, beyond my control. That party took way too much energy. It isn't long before I begin to float over to dreamworld, so whatever Shogo says next, I don't catch.

Even so, I'd like to think he's worrying about me.

* * *

What is her obsession with birds? I have no idea. She just likes them. It's like when you like dogs so much you have a ton of them. If she has a chance to get another one, she'd take it no matter the species. In case you're wondering, her parrot Cranberry was the first she got. Then came Song, and Snowball came last. Song came from a regular pet store, but both of the bigger birds were rescued from the homes of latent criminals, Just in case anyone comments about how chill she was in this chapter when in the last chapter, she saw Shogo kill a dog, let me point out that happened when she was four. She is now twenty-two. Oh yeah, that reminds me. This is my first time writing about someone who's out of their teens. There's a first time for everything, right? Well, I'll get back to writing so you don't have to wait too long for the next chapter.

Till then, Kisses from SnowyNeko! :3 MEOW!


	3. Chapter 3

I think this is the longest chapter I've every posted. There was a lot I wanted to put into it, so even though it's so long, I think it feels kind of rushed. I'll slow that down in the next chapter, I promise. No one has told me what they think of Esther...but then again, I didn't really expect I'd get any descriptions already. I always have to keep pushing you guys to tell me, which has to be annoying to you. I'll probably keep mentioning it, but please bear with me. I love knowing what you guys think. I do not own Psycho Pass or its characters. Now, enjoy!

* * *

Our avatar thief got caught. Or, I guess it'd be more accurate to say Shogo grew bored of him. He found the answer he'd been looking for, and didn't like it. His new plaything is a teenage girl obsessed with art. She has a wonderful talent for it, taking after her father, but her works are creepy to say the least. I feel for her, though. She's a daddy's girl, and her father has long been in a comatose state called Serenity. He might as well be dead already.

It's a growing epidemic, Serenity. People don't get hooked on alcohol or smoking anymore. Instead, it's pills that keep your hue clear. Almost everyone takes them, including me. They're a staple of everyday life, but the effects can be disastrous if taken too routinely. They do exactly what they're made for, which is reduce stress. It numbs you to it. After a while, it numbs you to the world completely. That is what Serenity is. It's just one more way Sybil has been destroying lives under the mask of helping civilization.

Cases like this girl's father's are the reason we are doing this. To keep an eye on her, Rikako Oryo, Shogo has gone incognito as a teacher at her prestigious school.

"You're up early," he notes, coming into the kitchen. "Is there something you want to talk to me about?"

Right on the mark as always. "I was wondering if I could accompany you today, _sensei._ " I pass him a plate of toast. "It's not everyday you participate in society like this. This might be my first and only chance to see you like this."

He considers this for a minute, flipping through the possibilities in his mind. "You can be a student teacher. I doubt anyone will notice anything unusual about it." I scarf down the rest of my breakfast happily. It should be easy enough for me to act like a teacher. After all, teaching was one of the jobs Sybil declared I have an aptitude for.

I quickly dress, braiding my hair and choosing my glasses over my regular contacts. Shogo wears a tan vest, with a button-down white shirt beneath. I smile, wondering if we'll maybe look like a couple to the students. Unfortunately, neither of our lives would allow for that. A romance with Shogo is nothing but a mere fantasy, admittedly one I enjoy indulging in. We slip on our jackets and head out.

"Bye, you three," I nod to my birds. "Be good while we're gone."

"Bye-Bye!"

"Goodbye!"

I close the door behind me and rush with a skip in my step to catch up with Shogo. The school he's working at is one of a kind, a boarding school for girls. It's meant to keep them isolated, so that their psycho passes remain low. The students are given the luxury of school clubs, like art and music, along with an old style of teaching that has been all but abandoned.

As we approach the gates of the school, young girls crowd to meet us. "Good morning, sensei!" He smiles to them kindly, and I marvel at how naturally this comes to him.

"You're popular with the students," I state, not at all surprised. To them, he's a handsome, young, and charismatic teacher. If only they knew what he was really like.

"They're eager to learn," he tells me. "They remind me of you, in that way."

"Is that so?" I chuckle, remembering how fervently I learned to read when I first met Shogo. Yes, I've always loved gaining new knowledge, especially when the end result was praise from him. If there's one thing I've learned growing up with him, it's that nothing should stand in the way of what you want. An odd lesson coming from such a manipulative personality.

The classroom is already filled when we enter. "Okay class, have a seat. We have a guest today." They scramble into their spots. "This is Ms. Rui Oshida. She is studying to be a teacher and has come to observe our class for the time being. Please show her the proper respect."

I bow. "Please take care of me." And with that, I'm pretty much stuck standing in the back of the room for the rest of the period. Shogo leads the lesson wonderfully. He explains everything so thoroughly that few raise their hands with questions, and the students participate both actively and willingly. My guess is the girls' reasons for being so attentive have something to do with their teacher's age and appearance.

When the bell rings for lunch, they get up and file out orderly. One of them breaks away from the rest and steps over to me.

"Ms. Oshida, are you and sensei dating?"

I can't keep a grin from growing on my face. "No, we aren't, but he's handsome isn't he?" She nods sharply, returning my grin, and rejoins the others. Towards the back of the line I spot the girl who is currently causing the police havoc, replicating the specimen case. That's what the inspectors called it, I believe. I motion her over.

"How is your father doing, Rikako?"

She studies me for a moment, choosing her words carefully. "He's the same as always." I lower my voice so that, when I talk, the microphones won't pick me up.

"I'm here with Mr. Makashima, so if you ever need to talk, please come and find me."

She smiles at me like I'm completely oblivious. "Don't worry about me, Ms. Oshida. If that is your name, that is. I can handle myself."

I blink, straightening my back. "Alright, but if you need anything..." She walks away from me before I can finish. When all the students are gone, I go over to Shogo.

"You've chose an interesting toy."

"Isn't she?" he laughs. "But the police are getting close. It won't be long before they find her."

"And when they do?" I ask.

He thinks for a second, taking out his lunch. "I'll keep her until I find someone more entertaining."

I pull out my lunch as well, sighing. He's just like a child in some ways. He obsesses over a toy until a shiny new one comes along, and then the old one is discarded as useless. But, at the same time, he's more mature than most people I've come across. He's ingenious, determined, calculative, and overall patient. However, he lacks an understanding of emotions. He knows this without me telling, and it's one of the many reasons he takes such an interest in people. We both believe people should act on their emotions, no matter the outcome. The difference is, I don't always _like_ the resulting action.

"So," I begin, "do you enjoy being a teacher?"

"It's interesting," he responds. That's the end of that topic.

"How is everything coming along? I mean, other than that girl?"

"It has been progressing well, but I will be loosing many of them soon. They are not the kinds of people to back down in the face of what many consider justice.

"Which is why you chose them, isn't it?" I conclude. It's difficult to find people these days who will act despite the law. Shogo's favorite was a man from three years ago, from this very school. His psycho pass was as unreadable as Shogo's, which made them unstoppable as a pair. Unfortunately, the man grew tired of such a life and decided to turn himself in. I didn't say anything to stop him, because he was a criminal, but I heavily regret that decision. We haven't heard a word about him since. It's as if he just up and vanished. He was a nice guy, too. A bit opinionated, but accepting and humorous. He and I had become good friends. His name was Touma.

"They've arrived."

"Huh?" I glance up from my meal to see Shogo looking out the window. I follow his gaze to find police cars pulling into the entrance. For a single moment, my heart stops beating. Then Shogo stands, saying,

"I think I'll head to the teacher's lounge. Are you coming?"

"Oh, yes." I stuff the remainder of my lunch back into my bag and stand to follow him. Shortly after we settle into the lounge, the chairman barges in and announces the MWPSB's presence.

"There is no need to worry, it is just an inspection," he lies. "You'll see inspectors and enforcers alike, but there is no cause for alarm." A couple of the teachers bother to ask questions, but most go back to what they are doing. I finish my lunch and toss my bag into the trashcan. It bounces off the edge and I groan, going to pick it up. I'm about to return to my seat when a crumpled drawing catches my eye. I unfold it, then immediately shove it back in the trash. It's a piece of that girl Rikako's art, a picture of another girl her age. She was probably a past victim.

When I get back to my chair, I realize Shogo is listening to something with headphones. I tap him on the shoulder and, when he turns to look, I point to the device in his hands. He pulls out one of the earbuds and offers it to me. Someone is speaking on the other end. I slip in the earbud and listen intently.

"...the places weren't elaborate enough. Our old perpetrator wouldn't set two of his crime scenes in a regular park." Shogo's smiling. He's watching the device in his hands with satisfaction, so I sneak a peek. What I see in the middle of the screen is one of the enforcers from the other day. He had been the one to point his dominator at me, if I remember correctly.

"His name is...?" I inquire.

"Kougami. Shinya Kougami." Interesting. I guess an enforcer _is_ a latent criminal, but for Shogo to take such a liking towards a hunting dog... It makes me curious. What is it about this guy that has Shogo so fascinated?

"So Rikako Oryo is done?"

"She didn't preform as well as I had hoped," he admits. "So, shall we leave the destruction to ensue?"

"Another body has been discovered on the school grounds!" The chairman is back, and his words work the other teachers into a frenzy. They all dash out of the lounge, leaving Shogo and me alone.

He stands, waiting for me. I gather together my things and get up to follow him. As we walk through the hallways, I wonder,

"What about the security cameras? Will you be able to destroy both video and sound before the MWPSB can get to it?"

"I have a hacker working on that." Figures as much. He's having someone else do the actual work again, even though he's the one on the scene. Although, I guess I can't be sure the hacker isn't here.

Whatever route we're taking is probably predetermined to avoid encounters with the police. The entire way out of the school, we see no one except students. Most of them greet us, a few asking about the MWPSB. I'd think that we should keep moving, but we stop to tell them what the chairman told us.

"You shouldn't worry about it," I assure them. "Nothing bad will happen." I opt to exclude the bit about another body being found. Well, nothing bad should happen to them. Poor Rikako, on the other hand, has been abandoned with her hue murky in the middle of an area swarming with hunting dogs. Even if by chance she manages to escape, Shogo won't let her live. She'd give the inspectors too much of a clue too soon. Everything has to and will go the way Shogo desires. That's just the way he works.

He brings me to an underground system, a maze consisting of sewers and pipes. I dance around the puddles he ignores until I collide with him, having not been paying attention. He doesn't flinch, but I stumble back and check to make sure my nose isn't broken.

"Sorry," I apologize, rubbing my nose. I hit his shoulder blade. He's incredibly lean for someone of his strength, so a lot of people would be surprised how muscular he really is. We've trained together before, and if he had been seriously trying to fight me, I would've ended up with more than just bruises. I've been mock fighting for nine years, and he could still take me down in seconds if he tried.

I glance around him to see why we've stopped. A man I vaguely recognize, eyes unblinking, stares back at me. I have to bite my cheek to stop myself from letting out a yelp. For some reason, this man terrifies me.

"Oh, and who is this young lady?" Even his voice sounds familiar, and yet wrong at the same time. I extend my hand to him anyway. He isn't the first oddball I've met the acquaintance of.

"The name's Esther Bryant. Pardon me for asking, but you seem familiar. Have we met before?"

He smiles and I wince. "You've probably seen me on TV," he tells me, shaking my hand. "My name is Toyohisa Senguji." My brain instantly makes the connection. He's the man almost entirely made up of metal, the cyborg! I can't even remember how long he's lived.

"Wow, that's amazing!" I exclaim. "It really is a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Senguji!" Of course, if we're meeting like this, it means he's more likely than not a latent criminal. It's unfortunate, because he has the chance to extend the lives of many. People don't exactly fancy the idea of replacing their body parts with robotics, but he could've convinced them it isn't so bad. He could save lives, but now he's technically wanted by the government.

"He's here to dispose of an unneeded limb," Shogo explains before I can ask. I pause for a second, sorting out the meaning behind his words, then sigh. My eyes cast downwards.

"The poor girl," I murmur.

"Now, we should go claim our seats before the show begins."

"Hey!" I grab Shogo's arm before he can walk away. "You know I can't watch a murder! It'll cloud my hue!"

Normally, he wouldn't care about someone's crime coefficient, but mine being clear is beneficial. It helps me blend into society and gather both information and supplies. He, of course, has the clearest psycho pass of anyone, but he prefers to avoid the cameras. That's where he sends me in his place. If my intention was to commit a crime, I'd be caught immediately, but he's careful not to let me know his plans until after I've returned.

"You don't have to watch," he tells me, "if you don't want to. I'm only staying to make certain it all comes to pass without interruption." I let out a deep breath. I can't watch, but there's nothing stopping me from staying with him. I follow Shogo deeper into the darkness, leaving Mr. Senguji behind. Eventually, he pulls out his phone and makes a call. On the other side, I can faintly hear the voice of a girl.

"Do you know what you've done wrong?" he questions her. After a few more words from her, he says, "Well, we can't discuss it if you don't know." He quotes a Shakespearean play, then hangs up. "And now we wait as she's sought out, and devoured."

I jerk. "You aren't actually going to set animals on her, are you?"

"Of course not," he chuckles.

Thank god, it's only a figure of speech. I hope her death will be one quick, and painless. Despite all she's done, she's suffered enough. I can't imagine what she had to go through at such a young age. I wait anxiously, watching Shogo use his binoculars. I don't want to know what he's seeing.

Suddenly, a scream splits the silence. I cringe and lower my head. Soon after, there are two gunshots. After the first, I jump. The second causes me to grab at my ears to block them out. Please, let it be over!

A hand on my head slows my breathing. "We can go back."

I release a long breath, nodding as he removes his hand. My heart won't slow its rapid pace and my hue has probably darkened significantly, but I'm alright. I want to go home.

* * *

I never planned on giving Rikako a momentous part, but I did want to include her. I think she was a wonderful character. Sure, call me crazy for liking a serial killer, but I'm insane. Crazy is a bit of an understatement. As much as I do like Rikako, Shogo is way better. Anyone else a fan of Makashima? I mean, I like Kougami and all, but there's just something about Makashima... Am I alone in that? If I learn I am, that'll just add to the me being insane thing I guess.

Till then, Kisses from SnowyNeko! :3 MEOW!


	4. Chapter 4

This is where things really start, in my opinion. This chapter is significantly shorter than the last few, but I like how it turned out. Recently, I had a new story idea. I don't mean a fanfiction, but a real book. I got all excited about it, created the storyline, imagined the main character, and remembered there's another one I'm already working on. I should probably finish both this, and that one before starting on another. I always find it hard to focus on writing one single book. But when I do get into a story, it doesn't stop flowing. The other day, I sat down and wrote for about four hours straight. I forgot to eat lunch. No regrets.

I don't own Psycho Pass or its characters. Enjoy the chapter.

* * *

I'm in an abandoned subway line, inside the front car of the train. Shogo wanted somewhere off the maps to lure his new toy into. I've yet to figure out exactly what he's got planned, but he's been gone for well over an hour now. He said he had to go get a few things. He brought me here telling me he has a job for me to do, but he left out the details of what it is. It must be something important, because we had one hell of a time making sure I avoided all of the scanners on the way here.

When we got back to the house a few nights ago, Hunter told me my hue had become violet,and it hasn't recovered to the extent I need yet. At this point, I'd still get drones walking up to me and telling me to seek counseling. I should be okay sometime within the next few days, though.

I sit down in the driver's chair, tired. The birds can be so noisy when I'm trying to sleep. Seconds later, the door swings open and Shogo steps in. With him he has a person, evidently a girl, bound at the legs and wrists and a bag pulled over her head.

"What the...why?" I stutter, leaping to my feet. He shoves her towards me and I catch her, but not without effort. She's unconscious. I go to yank the bag off, but he stops me.

"She can breathe through it," he assures me.

"I thought you wanted Kougami!"

"I do," he confirms, setting something on the train's control panel. "I'm confident he'll show with her here."

I sit her in the seat I was just in. "Is she his girlfriend, then? A relative?"

"They've never met, I believe. We are not baiting Kougami directly, or else he'd never come." So that means there's someone who links this girl and the enforcer, right? A friend of theirs? But enforcers are locked up, and only ever have the chance to socialize with others like them. Then if the link was an inspector...

"Is this a friend of Akane's?" I inquire, feeling a little queasy. He sends me a look that tells me I'm correct. Great, that means I probably know her as well. "What is it you brought me here for?"

"This." He tosses me a sack and I peer inside. It contains only a pale blue bra.

"Pervert," I joke nervously. Who is it under the bag?

"Why do you think I brought you along?" he responds. He snaps something off the device he put on the panel and holds it out for me to take. "Slip this into the lining and change her into it." I take the antennae and find a place to put it, feeling uneasy. It's going to be a bit longer than I'd first hoped for before I can go out in public again. While Shogo dissects whatever the antennae came off of, I change the girl's bra and redress her in her nightgown.

"Are you going to explain now?" I demand, taking a step back.

He smiles. "We're giving our fox a puzzle to solve. If he figures it out, he lives." That's as much as he's likely to tell me, so I leave it at that. Whatever the game, I won't be watching. I pat the girl's knee reassuringly, but it only makes me feel helpless. My only comfort is that she has a chance, since her role is only as bait. Kougami might be able to save her.

"Can you tell me that she won't be harmed?" I request. It doesn't matter if it's a lie, I still want to hear it.

He says, "I could, but that would not make it truthful." Message received, then. There's a high likelihood she'll die. "Shall we be going?"

"Where to?"

"The hunting grounds." I assume there'll be a place for me so I can wait for it all to be over. I grab the sack that now holds the girl's actual bra and go with him.

We walk in the darkness along the subway rails, no end in sight. Shogo carries a flashlight, and I grip his hand to keep from falling. He said we're going to the hunting grounds, but where will that be? An old station, perhaps? And what about Kougami? I understand how he'll be enticed into the tunnels, but how will he get to the arena? What really surprises me is that Shogo hasn't made any actual contact with the enforcer. Whenever he takes an interest in a person, he approaches them without hesitation, and it's only those who fascinate him that he keeps at his side. Considering that, I might as well ask him the question that has for so long refused to leave me in peace.

"Hey, Shogo? Why is it that you keep me around?"

He glances back at me, meeting my eyes. "Because you'd never betray me." He turns back forwards. "And you'd be absolutely helpless without me. Have you ever even imagined what you would do if I were to suddenly let you go?"

"No," I admit. It's a topic I don't like to think about.

"Besides, it never hurts to have an extra pair of eyes and ears. Does my answer satisfy you?"

I repeat myself. "No."

"That's why I keep you around," he chuckles. What's that supposed to mean?

He suddenly pulls me to the wall, where there's a single door. When he opens it, a lion sized, metal dog prowls out. Shogo and I step out of its way, and it heads deeper into the tunnels in the opposite direction than the way we came. I don't get the chance to ask about it as Shogo brings me through the doorway.

"Where are we?" I gasp. The place is huge, filled with complicated twists and turns like a labyrinth. There are random walls, barrels and ledges, almost like a digital world for gaming. Only, this is entirely real. Then I realize Shogo hasn't stopped like I have. I half trip over my own feet, not letting go of his hand. It's not often he allows people to touch him.

He brings us to a ramp that leads us up along the wall. As we continue up, it gets unceasingly steeper. Soon, it's no different than hiking up a mountainside. It eventually levels out to a small platform with a railing, and by that time I've begun to run out of breath. Waiting for us is Mr. Senguji.

"What an interesting game you've prepared, Mr. Makashima," he says, cleaning the barrel of a two round shotgun. "Are you sure you yourself do not wish to participate?"

"No, I am content simply to watch."

"If you say so. I don't think I mind this observer stance you like to take." He loads his gun. "Good luck with him, little miss. This man is one of a kind." Somehow, I get the feeling he's saying goodbye. He doesn't expect to converse with me again.

"Yes, he is," I agree. "Good luck to you as well, with whatever it is you're doing." He tips his hat and walks away down the ramp. I take a seat on the ground, wondering what it is I just wished him luck for. "So, how long should I expect to be here?" I ask.

"That depends on inspector Tsunemori and our hacker." Wonderful. So we don't know how long we have to camp here. I should've thought to bring a snack, or something to drink.

"What makes you think Akane will bring Kougami?" I wonder aloud.

He leans against the rail, a thoughtful look on his face. "The two of them are alike," he notifies me. "Both of them seem to hold an understanding of human impulses, which is something Sybil has taken away from society. The difference is that Kougami fell to such impulses, while the inspector has not. She has potential, but she will need a push for it to be unleashed."

"So," I connect the pieces in my head, "you mean to make Akane into a latent criminal." It appears he's taken an interest in her as well.

"I plan to reveal to her her true desires."

I lapse into silence. Back in school, Akane was renown for her clear psycho pass. She isn't like Shogo, but she has a gift for keeping a low crime coefficient. I can't imagine her becoming a latent criminal, but if anyone can do it, it's Shogo.

I rest my cheek on my knee, closing my eyes. Last night was another late one, and we ran out of cream for my coffee. I can't stand to drink it bitter. The birds wouldn't shut up, either. Needless to say, I'm dead tired and without caffeine. There might as well be a ball and chain tied to my foot for all the desire I have to move. Maybe I can catch some shuteye before the action begins.

"You won't want to fall asleep," Shogo warns me, reading my mind. "We might need to leave in a hurry."

"You can't just wake me up?" I mumble.

"You can sleep the rest of the day when we get home."

"Fine, then. Help me up." I hold out my hands and he hoists me to my feet. "Next time you forget the cream, I'm going to eat your tomatoes." He grins. I've threatened to withhold his favorite foods many times before, but I've never actually gone through with it.

The sound of slamming draws my attention and I rush to the railing. Nothing moves.

"The game has begun," Shogo announces to himself. That means Kougami is here, but where is he? Movement catches my eye and I see the metal dog from before. Is it hunting him? Another one joins it before they split up, searching in opposite directions. There are two? Could there be more? I turn to look at Shogo, but he shakes his head. Those are the only two.

A pale blue light grows below the perch we're situated on, drawing my gaze downwards. Below us are two people; a boy and a girl. I can quickly assume who they are.

"She's being hunted, too?" I hiss, whirling around. Kougami, I understand, but why does she have to be thrust onto a battlefield? She's only just starting her adult life!

Unfortunately when I turn, a wave of dizziness hits me and I stagger. Shogo darts forward, but it's too late. The railing is too low, and I'm putting too much of my weight on it. I tumble over the edge, my breath catching and eyes going wide. Time seems to slow and I catch the panic in Shogo's expression. This wasn't a factor he'd anticipated.

I squeeze my eyes shut and do what anyone would do. I clench my fists in desperation and scream.

* * *

When I was writing this last part, I myself got caught up in it. I was excited to put it onto the paper. It's times like those that remind me why I absolutely love to be an author. My mind doesn't stop racing, the pen doesn't stop writing. For that expanse of time, everything just seems to work. That's just how it is for me. Anyway, that made this chapter a lot of fun to write, and I got a decent way into the next chapter as well. What can I say? I love to write! I can't wait to download the next chapter and show you all what happens!

Till then, Kisses from SnowyNeko! :3 MEOW!


	5. Chapter 5

Last you heard, she fell to her death. Well, I think you all knew she wouldn't die, because this isn't supernatural. I wouldn't be able to continue with her as a ghost. I guess I could if I really wanted to, but I never planned on the storyline being like that. To be honest, I was in a bad mood when I decided what content would be in this chapter. If I get upset, writing is sort of my outlet for that. I literally just decided that morning, 'Alright, Esther's gonna suffer today'. I didn't put her through too much, cause I was in a better mood when I wrote it. But while I'm writing this, I want to apologize to Esther. I've never been very kind to my characters. But hey, it makes the stories interesting, in my humble opinion.

I do not own the anime or the characters from it. Read away!

* * *

The sound that emerges from my mouth is short and piercing. I can't catch my breath! I'm going to die! To fall from that height, with solid concrete beneath me, There's no way I'll survive! I'm sorry, Shogo! I know I must've been a burden for you to take care of.

It all happens in a flash. Arms catch me and I slow abruptly, then stop completely. I gasp, eyes flying wide, and see Kougami. His face is twisted in pain in the dim blue lighting. I glance around, finding us on the ground. The girl is behind him, having had to support him so he could catch me. I scramble from his lap and back up into a wall. Kougami groans, getting to his feet.

"A-are you okay?" I stammer, mortified. I seriously just screwed up! I could've died!

"I won't be able to sit on my ass for some time," he states, helping the girl up, "but I'm fine."

Finally, I get a good look at the girl's face. "Yuki?"

She blinks, kneeling down by me. "That's me."

"W-we went to school together," I remind her, having to force out my words.

"Oh, you do look a bit familiar," she realizes, her eyes lighting up. "Kougami, hand me one of those chemical lights." She holds what looks like a glowstick up to my face, nodding.

"Hey." I look up at Kougami. "Why were you falling? Do you remember anything before coming here?" I hesitate. Of course he'd ask me that.

"I got home from work and collapsed," I lie. "I was so tired I didn't even change." All I can do is hope my story matches up with Yuki's. If we were both supposedly kidnapped in the same way, he'll think there's a meaning behind it. He appears to think before offering me his hand to help me up.

"Come on, we have to keep moving." I accept his assistance without asking why. I do _not_ want to meet with one of those robotic beasts while they're hunting. A glint on the ceiling above us reveals a platform covered in spikes, ready to fall. I let out a yelp and jump back, causing the others to notice it, too. "They've got some weird traps," he notes.

"Who's they?" I probe.

Before he can answer, Yuki exclaims, "Look! It's like the bag from before!" She grabs it off the podium before either of us can stop her. We all jolt when an alarm begins blaring. Without a word, Kougami takes our hands and takes off sprinting. I do my best to keep up, despite my shaking. Any sign of fatigue has long vanished. As we run, one of the dogs pounces from behind. Yuki screeches, and we veer around a corner. Her breathing is already coming hard.

Those machines won't differentiate me from their actual targets. They'll just as soon tear out my entrails as bite off Kougami's head.

A gunshot startles me and we make another turn, Kougami cursing. A second causes me to flinch, and a pain shoots through my left side. I clench my teeth and bare through it, although I nearly miss my next step. I can't slow down, we can't afford to stumble.

After a while, we stop to rest and hide. Kougami and Yuki begin a conversation about about being the foxes of the hunt while I examine my side. I roll up my shirt to see my injury, gagging when I catch sight of a half-circle indent in my skin. Blood oozes from it, running down my side. I'm lucky it didn't hit me anywhere serious, but a bullet wound is a bullet wound, and it _hurts_!

"You've been shot!" Yuki notices. Now I have both of their attentions. Kougami goes to rip his shirt to make a bandage, but I stop him.

"Take care of yourself," I direct him, tearing my jeans. I didn't miss that he got hit with the first shot. We both tend to out wounds, tying cloth around ourselves to staunch the bleeding. I'm still in the middle of making a knot when Kougami flattens against the wall, covering Yuki's mouth. I follow his lead without wavering, freezing and holding my breath. Overhead, one of the beasts scans the area for us. Missing our location entirely, it turns to leave.

Kougami motions for the bag Yuki had picked up earlier, and she hands it to him. From it, he removes the device I'd seen Shogo tinkering with earlier.

"It's a portable transponder," he informs us. "We can use it even if they're blocking the signal."

Hope colors Yuki's expression. "So we can-"

"Yes, if we had the battery and antennae." And as quickly as the hope had come, it fades. Well, I know exactly where to find the antennae, but I can't exactly tell them, can I? I have to pray that one of them figures it out.

"Stay here," Kougami instructs. "I'll go and cause a distraction."

"What are you doing?" Yuki and I cry in sync.

"We don't stand a chance against two of those things. I have to take one out." Is he insane? Although I say that, what he says makes perfect sense. Then Kougami is gone. What ensues is clashing, crashing, and bullets. Yuki and I huddle together, worried for his safety. Shogo wouldn't kill off a new toy so soon. I have to trust that.

We jerk when he suddenly returns, and we bolt to our feet. He slips something into the transponder as we dash. He found the battery. The words to tell him about the antennae are on the tip of my tongue, but I can't let them out. I assume he managed to somehow get rid of one of the dogs, otherwise he wouldn't have come back.

"I can't run anymore!" Yuki gasps. We skid to a stop and I collect as much oxygen in my lungs as I can. "Don't stay silent, Mr. Kougami! You're kind of creepy when you do that!"

"Sorry, I was thinking. I know why you're here. You were the bait to get me down here. But what about you?" He's referring to me.

"How should I know?" I huff. "But aren't we slowing you down? Maybe we're here so that you don't make a run for it." I've been thinking for a while, and I'm convinced that is indeed the reason Shogo kept Yuki alive.

"Damn it!" I turn to Yuki in surprise. "I'm just a pawn in all of this, aren't I? You two could probably keep running, but here I am making us rest. You should just go! Leave me!"

"That's not happening," I snap.

"I don't think this is a one sided hunt," Kougami voices, inspecting the transponder. "With this, they're giving us a chance to win. They're testing me, and staying with you has something to do with it." He pauses. "Yuki, take off your clothes."

"What?"

I breathe an internal sigh of relief. He figured it out! How, I'm not sure, but it doesn't really matter. I'm just glad he did.

"Do what he says, Yuki." Reluctantly, she strips. It takes a bit of convincing, but soon enough we have our antennae. Kougami immediately calls for backup. While we wait, we stalk in the shadows. It's probably best if I slip away before the MWPSB gets here, but for now, the safest place that I can get to is by Kougami. Perhaps if I approached Mr. Senguji it'd be better, but I can't guarantee he wont shoot me before seeing who I am.

Kougami motions for us to stay, before he runs out into the line of fire. For a moment I'm confused, but then I see a glowing machine rolling towards him. A metal beast attacks it before it can get to Kougami, but he slides and grabs something from it. Then I see that it's a dominator. I almost cheer out loud. He barely manages to avoid the dog before shooting it, blowing it to bits of scrap metal.

My heart is racing. He's going to do it! He's going to win Shogo's game! With both of the metal dogs disposed of, the fight it finally even. Man verses man, each with their own respective weapon. Yuki and I might just make it out without any more injuries. But this is still dangerous. These two men are trying to kill each other.

I cover Yuki's eyes when I see the dominator change to the lethal eliminator. She in turn buries her head in my shoulder, tightly grasping my arm. I don't look away in time, and see Mr. Senguji's arm explode. It's not as bad as it would've been had he not been almost entirely metal, but it's gruesome to witness anyhow. Then Kougami is shot and pushed out of sight. Mr. Senguji follows and I scowl.

"Come on, Yuki. We can't loose track of where they are, or we might end up in between them." She nods slightly and we begin to move. I make sure we're both low to the ground, but we need to move as fast as we can. I follow Mr. Senguji, keeping our distance and hiding appropriately. We move up a ramp just as he rounds a corner. To avoid being seen, I yank Yuki quickly behind cover. Unfortunately, I knock into a barrel and send it tumbling.

 _Crap, there's no way he didn't notice that!_ I slow my breathing, collecting my thoughts. There's nowhere for me to go at this point, but it isn't me Mr. Senguji is hunting for, and I doubt it's Yuki. His aim is for Kougami, so there's the possibility he won't shoot.

He jumps around the barrel and aims his gun directly at out heads, causing us both to start, but he doesn't fire. I release the breath I'd been holding. I was right, he won't shoot me.

And then a gun goes off. Mr. Senguji turns around just in time to be hit with the dominator. The last thing he does before exploding is smile, which sends shivers throughout my body. I reach to Yuki to shield her, but I'm not fast enough. The entire back half of his cyborg body is blown off, and he collapses right in front of us.

Yuki leaps to her feet, going over to gaze at the mechanical body. "We did it! We beat that monster! Mr. Kougami!" When she says his name, panic enters her voice. I get up and join her, seeing him collapsed on the floor and covered in blood. Oh my god! Just how many times did he get shot?

We rush over to him as he gets to his hands and knees. "I'm sorry this was all I could do," he apologizes. "As soon as you two are out of here, get treatment immediately. You both saw way too many things. I'm sorry I couldn't protect you from that."

"No, you were amazing!" Yuki expresses, a smile on her face. I gaze at her in amazement. Wow, she's a strong girl. Most people can't go through something like this and genuinely smile so soon after. After she says this, he seems to black out.

All of a sudden, Yuki is jerked backwards and I hear the clank of metal. I whirl around to see Shogo, handcuffing Yuki.

"Stop it!" she screams. To me, she yells, "Get out of here, go!"

Shogo looks over at me, a slight worry in his eyes. "Are you alright? Were you hurt at all?"

"I got shot in the side, but I'm fine," I guarantee. Yuki studies me, obviously baffled under her terror. Kougami shifts, drawing our attention back to him

"I would love to stay here with you and talk the whole night through," Shogo says, addressing him, "but since you don't seem in proper shape for that, I'll see you again soon." Despite the situation, I almost snicker. He made his words rhyme on purpose.

"Let me go!" Yuki demands as he pulls her away. "Mr. Kougami! Help!"

I place a hand on her back as we walk. "He can't do anything, Yuki. He's in too bad a shape."

"Why aren't you running? Don't worry about me and get out of here!" I smile at her sadly, causing her to suddenly realize, "Wait, don't tell me you working with this guy!"

"I'm sorry," is all I say. She bursts into tears and I avert my gaze. No, I'm not proud of letting this happen, but at the same time I don't want to defy Shogo. Despite his methods, I also believe that Sybil needs to be taken down, and that's not going to happen with peaceful protests. I just regret Yuki had to be caught up in all of this.

"I promise you, you'll get to see Akane again," I tell her. "Right Shogo?" I say the last bit pointedly, prompting him to say yes.

" She will," he smirks.

She looks to me in desperation. "Please, Esther, help me!"

"I didn't think you remembered my name."

"Somebody help!" she cries. "Please, Somebody!"

I can't raise my head. I don't want to see her tears, or that horror that lies in her features. _Remember, this is all because of Sybil. Sybil needs to see that it isn't perfect, and that we won't let it control our lives. No, I don't think Yuki will make it out of this, but if heaven exists, at least that's where she'll be. I'm sorry, Yuki, for having you get involved. And I'm sorry to you too, Shogo, for not being strong enough to accept things as is._

"Shogo, when all of this is done, I want to sleep." But I don't want to dream. I just want to escape reality, if only for a little while. "Today has been extremely draining."

* * *

Why does she stay with him if she's so bothered by what he does? Remember, she's been with him ever since childhood. I wouldn't call it an exaggeration to call him her life. Not only does she love him, but she also sees the corruption in society firsthand. Knowing everything about Shogo, it is still her choice to stay by him. I love that about her. Her loyalty is absolute, to him and him only. She's very sympathetic, but she can overlook it when she feels it necessary. I personally find her to be a very strong character. I can't wait to show you the extent of her emotions, and how powerful they can be.

Till then, Kisses from SnowyNeko! :3 MEOW!


	6. Chapter 6

I find Esther to be a very emotional girl. Everything she feels, she feels passionately. At the same time, she's very rational. I think she has a difficult time finding a balance between those two sides of her, since they tend to contradict each other. I've been thinking about what she would eat, since Shogo is vegetarian. She isn't really a sweets girl, but she doesn't hate them either. I think she prefers spicy foods, like Thai. She likes the _zing_ she gets from it. She can handle extremely spicy dishes, and feels things without hot spices taste bland. I don't know why, that's just the type of food her character seems to gravitate towards.

I don't own the characters from Psycho Pass or the anime itself. Please enjoy.

* * *

Yuki won't stop sobbing. With every cry that cuts through the air, I flinch. I don't have the right to ask her to stop. She's scared for her life and I'm just watching as it happens. I won't run away, though. The least I can do is listen to her pleas, and so I shall, no matter how much pain they cause me. Each word lashes as a whip, and I endure. This is what I deserve, after all.

Still, I can't wait until we return home and I can drown out the memory of her screams with nightmares that are sure to come. Sometimes people just need to slip from reality for a bit. It's actually a recognized treatment that I've learned. Sleep is already beneficial, but vivid dreaming can help restore someone's stability. The same effects can be found with online gaming. It gives the brain a break from the real issues at hand and helps it sort out solutions.

"Where were you shot?" Shogo asks me as we walk. "You said your side, but where?"

I shake my head. "It was just a scrape. There isn't even a full hole."

"Restrain her for a minute." He transfers Yuki to me and I do as he says, keeping her away from my bullet wound. She's a smart enough girl to take advantage of my injury and escape. "Let me see it, Esther."

"Unless you want me to let go of your hostage, you're going to have to check it yourself." Yuki won't stop tugging against me, but I hold firm. "Don't worry, Yuki, this will be over soon." Unfortunately, it'll end with her death. I could change that if I felt I needed to, but it isn't need I feel. It's want. I want to change that, but in comparison to all humanity, this is a small sacrifice. I just wish it wasn't one that was essential. If Shogo thinks that it needs to happen, I have no arguments.

It might seem like my relationship with him is a lot like society's with Sybil, but it's not. I questions his actions, not following him blindly. I've reason to trust him. He's gotten me this far in life. He's protected me and done his best to better society. I agree that Sybil needs to be destroyed not because he told me, but because I've seen what it does.

He kneels at my side, lifting my shirt to study my wound. I find a spot on the ground and stare at it, doing my best not to think about what he's doing. His finger grazes over my makeshift bandage and I cringe back reflexively.

"Can I undo it?" he requests, ready to remove the cloth. I nod and he proceeds to untie it. When it falls to the ground, a rush of cold air flows against the skin that had been covered up and I shiver. He takes out his flashlight to lighten the injured area and flips it on. "You're right in not being worried. It didn't reach anything vital, nor did the bullet stay in. The bleeding has mostly stopped, but-" he rips the other leg of my jeans, "-it's better to keep it covered."

I wait while he creates a second bandage, unsuccessfully trying to keep my thoughts away from his hands. Everyone once in a while, he accidentally brushes his hands against my side and I tense. Here we are in a dark place, Shogo so close and touching me, my shirt bunched up...

But we're also escaping a crime scene, in underground passageways, with a hostage that I have little doubt is going to survive to see another sunrise. Not to mention I've been shot. No, it really isn't the most romantic setting.

"Are you done?" I breathe, keeping my voice from wavering.

"Yes." He stands and I hand Yuki back to him. Our footsteps echo around the empty tunnels, making me think it might draw the police to us. Are they not able to hear us? A light grows towards the end of our path, opening into lighted room. We'd have to pass through it to continue, but there'd be no escaping if we were to be caught there. They'd see our faces and identify us. Shogo peeks out into it, then turns to me. "Stay here and I'll return to get you."

Confused, I consent. "Um, okay?"

He drags Yuki out into the light and I watch from the shadows, unsure of what to do. He told me to wait, but what am I to do until he gets back?

"Halt! This is the MWPSB! Release the hostage and come peacefully, or I will have to use force!" That's Akane's voice! I adjust my view to see her below the bridge Shogo is crossing. She's holding her badge and a dominator, wielding it like it actually is effective in such a situation. I guess she doesn't know it isn't. I look back to Shogo and realize he's holding the double barreled shotgun Mr. Senguji had been using. I'd completely missed that he'd picked that up.

"Akane!" Yuki calls out to her friend.

"Just hold on, you'll be alright!"

"Ah." He stops to face the inspector. "I know your face. You're inspector Akane Tsunemori."

"And you're the psycho path that's dragged Yuki into this."

"My name is Shogo Makashima." This seems to startle Akane. "Oh? So you've heard my name? How encouraging. It's good you aren't completely clueless." She's heard of Shogo? How? So few people are even aware of his existence, so how is it she knows his name? Did he slip up somewhere? I mean, it's possible. He's human too, after all.

"I demand that you come with me for questioning and punishment for you crimes."

I can almost visibly see the laughter Shogo isn't vocalizing. "If we are to talk, we can do so right here. Aren't you trained to buy time for you backup to arrive?" He continues to make jabs at her, mentioning the avatar stealer and Rikako. "People only have real value when they act on their impulses. I ask them about their suppressed freewill. I simply encourage and facilitate them. I bring out their true selves."

"Don't talk about yourself as if your a hero," Akane scolds him. "You're nothing but a criminal, that needs to be brought to justice!"

"That's interesting," Shogo states, swinging around the riffle. "How do we define criminal? Shall we try to let the Sybil system, which you carry within that dominator, decide what I am?"

I see her point it at him, her arms beginning to shake. He's gotten to her. Manipulating is what he does best, so there's no reason Akane wouldn't be affected. I don't care how clear her hue is.

He explains his beliefs to her, posing her the question he's been searching to solve for countless years. If we don't act, if we don't do as we desire, how can our souls have value? Where is our freewill? Although peaceful, society has become without ambition. Everything is decided for you. Where is the freedom in that? He drops the riffle down to where Akane can pick it up and I panic. It's loaded, she could shoot him! If she can't use her dominator, the real gun is her only option!

"I might as well test you, while we're here," he decides nonchalantly. "I'm going to stand next to this girl Yuki, and I'm going to kill her. Right before your eyes. If you want to stop me, I just gave you a gun. Shoot me."

"I can't! I don't have the right to decide if you live or die!"

"Because I'm a good, upstanding citizen?" He takes out his razor, which I know is the weapon he uses for bloodshed. He isn't bluffing.

"Why?" she whispers, eyes darting between him and her dominator. "Why isn't it working?"

"I've been wondering that since I was a child, actually. My psycho pass has always been nothing but pure white. It's never gotten even relatively cloudy. Maybe my body is deluding itself, making me able to continue whatever I want with a clear conscious." He pretends to comb Yuki's hair with his blade, and I can see her shaking. She begs for Akane to save her but that won't happen. A tear streams down the side of my face and I bite my cheek, keeping myself from speaking. I have to remain hidden, or Akane will see me.

He provokes Akane more, telling her she doesn't have the right to judge him, and she finally picks up the gun. It takes everything in my power not to run out and shield him. I lean forward, but keep my feet planted where they are. I don't dare to take even a single step forward.

"Will you kill me, inspector? Will you break free of the chains and make your own decision? Do you feel it, the weight of the decision? That is freewill." He quotes a person from history, who I'm not sure. It's no one I've heard of. "Hold the gun firmly, Tsunemori, or the bullet will miss. Aim with the intent to kill!" He stands separately from Yuki, prepared to take in the hit. I close my eyes and reassure myself. Akane won't be able to do it. She could never take a life!

Two shots go off and I pry my eyes open. I nearly collapse to the floor when I see Shogo is still standing, completely unharmed. He may be disappointed, but I'm not. I don't think I've ever felt so relieved!

"Not enough resolve, how regrettable. You failure has cost your friend her life." He yanks Yuki's head back by her hair, exposing her neck for Akane to see. I don't miss her glistening wet tears streaking down her face as she cries to be saved. I don't look away. I'll watch her death, because I can at least respect her life. She was a good person. Akane resorts to begging, trembling as much as Yuki, but Shogo doesn't relent.

He holds the blade to her neck, and with a final scream from Akane, her throat is slit. Blood spurts out and the inspector falls to her knees on the floor, eyes wide in shock. Yes, her hue is most definitely clouded, as is mine. I choke back sobs of my own, face wet with tears. My legs shake like a newborn foal's, and I only just manage to keep myself upright. You'd think that after all I've seen, I'd be used to this, but every time I witness it the horror is fresh.

Through my blurred vision, I see Shogo holding out his hand to me. He completely ignores the broken policewoman and the dead body, waiting for me to come to him. I jerk my feet into motion, stumbling forward. Even now I have the sense to lower my head and raise my arm to hide my face as I half fall into the light. My hand reaches out to his and grabs it, but I don't stop. I collapse against him, bawling. His arms wrap around me and for a minute, he lets my tears soak his shirt.

Not letting go of my hand, he breaks away and leads me across the rest of the bridge. I keep my crying to a minimum, as not to attract attention, but every once in a while a gasp escapes me.

I realize we've arrived home when I hear Hunter's childish voice say, "Your hue has turned navy blue. It is suggested you seek immediate counseling." Of course at this point, I'd more likely be shot with a dominator than treated. I'm thankful it wouldn't turn to an eliminator, but I'm not too far from that.

Finally, my legs give out from under me and Shogo has to pick me up and carry me to the couch. There, I clutch the stuffed bluebird I've yet to get rid of and let it out. I eventually wear myself out and begin to doze off, but not before I feel the light touch of a caring hand on my hair. I can vaguely hear Song singing somewhere far away and cling to that sound as I fade from reality.

* * *

She's the type of girl to get attached to something and have a hard time getting rid of it. Her bluebird was a gift from her parents right before they moved to Japan, so it's one of the few things she has from when she lived in the United States. If she ever has kids, I get the feeling she'll pass it on to them. Although I say that, I don't think she will have kids. I doubt it's ever really crossed her mind. In her perfect reality, she'd marry Shogo and return to America with him. Children were never part of the equation. If you asked her, I think she'd get embarrassed. I guess her birds are like her children, in a way. Anyway, I'll go get to writing the next chapter so you don't have to wait too long.

Till then, Kisses from SnowyNeko! :3 MEOW!


	7. Chapter 7

Well, that last chapter...I'm not exactly sure what to say about it. It most definitely happened. It shows how much Esther has to go through to stay with Shogo. A lot of people would've left him by now, I think, but the concept has never even crossed her mind. I think that's what Shogo is counting on. He wouldn't really do anything if she decided to leave him, but I actually think that's saying something. He'd be letting her go, even with everything about him that she knows. He's pretty used to having her around at this point, or he wouldn't have allowed her to live with him. That's as much as she feels she can ask for.

Psycho Pass and its characters are not mine, unfortunately. On with the story!

* * *

I sip my coffee as I wait for my check. If you wait too long without buying anything, the drones will tell you to buy something, or you'll be kicked out. That way they can clear out tables for paying customers. I've here since midmorning, so it was inevitable I'd have to get something. This place doesn't serve a lot of foods I like, but I took the opportunity to eat some meat while out of the house. There's flavored coffee as well, something we never have. I couldn't resist, so I decided to try the pumpkin spice, and lets just say this is my second cup.

The view from this café is beautiful. It looks out over the city from above, and the sky is clear and blue. This is just the kind of thing I need to keep my psycho pass low. Tiny birds hop under the tables, scavenging for crumbs that the previous diner might have left behind. I pick a piece from the toast that came with my bacon and hold it out to the nearest finch. It gazes at me curiously, inching towards the food in my hand.

"Please do not feed the birds." The sudden appearance of the drone scares the bird away, leaving me alone at my table. I sigh, scowling.

"Do you have my check?"

"Yes, here you go." It prints out the paper and I rip it from the machine, stuffing it into my purse. "Have a nice day." Then it zooms away to cater to another table. I won't be able to stay here more than half an hour unless I buy something again, and I'm pretty much full. I'm beginning to think coming here was a waste of time.

It took my hue a full four days to become anywhere near acceptable, so that makes this the fifth day since Yuki's death. Her funeral was held yesterday, but I wasn't invited. Why would I be? We weren't very close to each other. In fact, we rarely talked. I don't think I wanted to be there, anyway. I don't want to see her family and friends mourning her after I stood there and watched her be murdered. Hopefully, her spirit is at peace. That would lift a burden from my shoulders.

Once the last of my coffee is gone, I call over the drone and have it clean off my table. When it asks if I'm interested in dessert, I refuse it. I took a peek at their dessert menu earlier, and the only things on it are cakes and ice cream. I can make either one of those at home for free, so why would I pay for it?

A familiar voice startles me. "Esther?"

I glance over my shoulder to find Akane, standing directly behind my chair. I offer her a smile. "Hey, it's been a while, Akane."

"Can I join you?"

"Sure, take a seat." She sits in the only other chair, across from me. Slinging her purse over the back, she summons the drone and orders herself scrambled eggs. "You do know it's late lunchtime now, right?"

She laughs. "Yeah, but I haven't been feeling well lately. I slept through the morning. By the time I woke up, it was eleven."

"What about your work?" I wonder, already knowing the answer.

"I'm taking time off. In the shape I'm in, I'd be more of a headache than a help to the group." She smiles, but her grin lacks sincerity. Even so, I return it without trouble. She's such a magnetic person, it's hard to dislike her. She's strong to be able to smile, even if it is fake, after seeing what she did. "How have you been doing?"

"Good, I guess," I shrug. "I enjoy my work. It's interesting to listen to peoples' hardships and help them out. I couldn't have chose a better profession for me myself."

"Oh, you're a therapist, right?"

"Yup." I rest my chin on my palm. "So if you ever need to talk, I can make some free time for you. No charge for family and friends."

"I'll keep that in mind." The drone drives up and slides her plate in front of her and rushes off again. I wonder how much maintenance those things require. They're always busy with this or that. It can't be too rare that one of them breaks down. "Do you come here a lot? I've never seen you here before."

"So that means this place is a favorite of yours? Well, this is my first time here. I heard it was good from a friend, but the food here isn't really my taste."

She takes a bite of her eggs. "Really? I think it's pretty good."

"I like foreign foods. You know, like Italian. There are a couple really nice Italian restaurants around here. If you're interested, you should try them. Although, my favorite is a Chinese place that's just down the street. It has twin gold dragons framing the door, so it's pretty hard to miss."

"I think I've been there," she says through a full mouth. "The one where everything comes with a side of wasabi even when you ask them not to?"

"That's the one. Even I can't eat that much wasabi." I stick my tongue out like a child. "The taste gets stuck in your mouth for days if you eat it all. I talk from experience."

"Do you like hot food?"

"It's the best, in my opinion. Indian and Thai are what I prefer, but I haven't been able to find any restaurants like that nearby, so I settle for other things. I assume you like the sweeter places, since this is a regular for you."

"The Tiramisu here is amazing!"

"There's Tiramisu? I didn't see that on the menu."

We get a drone to give us a dessert menu and she opens it, pointing to the bottom. "It's the last one. The other things are good too, but this is their best."

"If I order one, do you want to share it?" I ask, digging through my purse for my credit card.

"Sure," she agrees. I order it and she finishes her scrambled eggs while we wait.

"We've talked about my job,but what about yours?" I pry, eager for anything she might accidentally leak.

She sets her fork down, abruptly somber. "Alright, I guess."

"That face tells me otherwise," I point out. "I read people for a living. Don't try to hide it from me."

She seems to hesitate, which I understand. Her job is top secret, after all. "Well, I like my colleagues, and I think I'm well suited to it, but it's hard you know? It's not so much physically exhausting as it is mentally. As much as I like them, my coworkers are hard to deal with. They're really pretty stubborn."

"You're new to the field, Akane. I'm sure you just aren't used to how they _,_ as people, do their job. Keep in mind they're far more experienced than you. Try to learn from them."

"Yeah, but," she argues, "I'm also not sure that their methods are the best. I keep thinking that there has to be a better way to do things."

"I'm not saying you have to do what they do," I tell her. "What I'm saying is learn from them, but conform their ways to make it your own. Take what works from what they do, but right what doesn't. If you truly think you can fix it, fix it. Don't replace it entirely."

"You certainly have a way with words." This time, her smile is genuine. I beam back at her. This is why I love my job. When I can put a light in people that they were missing before, few things give me greater satisfaction.

"I'm sure you'll get used to things eventually. New routines sometimes take a while to warm up to." Our Tiramisu arrives with two little spoons on the side. I try a taste, then melt in my seat. She wasn't wrong to say this is their best. Maybe I might come back to this café after all.

"Didn't I tell you it was good?" she says, seeing my expression. I nod and we both devour the dessert. There aren't many places here that serve Tiramisu, so this is a delicacy to me. "Thanks for the meal. Sorry, I should repay you."

I shake my head. "No need. It was my treat today. It's nice to see an old acquaintance every now and again."

"Did you stay in touch with anyone from college?"

"Not really. My first time seeing anyone after graduation was when I ran into you at that party a while back."

"So you're Edith," she realizes, instantly comprehending what I'm talking about. "You shouldn't drink so much, you know? It might cause you psycho pass to rise."

I lean back in my chair, smiling at the memory. "I'll admit I got a bit carried away. I'll be sure to be more careful in the future. Can you tell me what was going on there? It must've been pretty serious for all those police to be there."

"Confidential," she refuses.

"Of course, I understand." She doesn't suspect me of anything at all. I get the feeling her enforcers would think otherwise, but to Akane I'm just an old classmate. That's what I like most about her. Around her, I can act like a normal person and have a regular conversation. And besides, isn't there a saying? Keep your friends close and enemies closer. It's not a bad idea to keep tabs on her. "So when are you returning to work?"

"I should be fine in a few days," she explains, licking the last bit of sweetness from her spoon. "I'd be back in the office right now if they'd let me."

"It's great that you're so dedicated," I compliment her. Most people would be glad to take a few days off. And I don't know about anyone else, but I wouldn't be too eager to return to work after what happened.

"Thanks. By the way, I'm not keeping you from anything, am I? It's rude of me to keep you here if there's something else waiting." I check my watch, seeing it's nearly two o'clock. I hadn't noticed, but most other customers have left. Not many are left from the lunchtime rush.

"I can stay for a little longer," I assure her. There were some supplies Shogo wanted me to collect before returning, but he never said I had to be back by a specific time. The shops shouldn't close until well after dinner, so I've got hours to spare if I want. Although, I would also like to go grocery shopping since the fridge has been running low. I was thinking about making vegetable stir fry for supper.

"It's kind of boring, being off from work," she sighs. "I've got nothing to do all day. It's not healthy for me to just sit around, but what else is there to do?" I wouldn't have much to do either if not for Shogo. My job isn't very demanding, and I only have to spend a few hours online daily to get my pay.

"You don't have anyone special in your life?" I inquire,tilting my head. "If you have too much time on your hands, that would be a good way to eat it up."

"I don't plan on dating any time soon. Is there anyone you like, Esther?"

I giggle, feeling like a schoolgirl again. "Yeah, there is."

"Really? What's his name?" She has the same playful tone to her voice as I do. I hold a finger up to my lips.

"It's a se-cret," I wink devilishly. "I haven't told anyone yet."

"I never thought you were the type to have a hidden crush," Akane admits. "You didn't seem to take an interest in any boys during school."

"Well," I correct, "it's not exactly hidden. I'm almost certain he knows how I feel, he just doesn't act on it." Such a tragic love story. It isn't even a love story, really. The only proof of my feelings are that I've never left his side, no matter what he's done.

"That sounds difficult."

"He's a difficult person."

"Can you wait here a second," she asks, standing. "I need to go to the bathroom. I'll be right back." I wave her on and she hurries away. _This_ is what I was waiting for. I scribble five words down on a piece of paper and slide it into a blank envelope.

 _I'm sorry for your loss._

I grab her purse from her chair and slip the note into one of the zipper pouches in the side, replacing the purse where it was. Then I gather my things and leave the table. I watch as Akane returns from the restroom and notices my disappearance. She glances around, not spotting me from my place inside the actual restaurant. After a minute, she picks up her purse and prepares to leave.

My goal accomplished, I climb on the elevator down. It was dangerous for me to do that, and Shogo would scold me if he knew, but I felt the need to apologize not only to her, but also to Yuki. I feel like a weight has been lifted of my shoulders. It's not entirely gone, but I never expect it to be. It just feels a lot easier to bear.

I scour my bag for the list of items Shogo gave me, returning to my real reason for this little expedition. They're all mechanical parts, some from cars or drones, others from actual computers. Most of them are little bits you wouldn't necessarily notice if you were to randomly open up a machine. There's a note scrawled at the bottom of the page telling me not to buy more than two of the parts at a single store.

I let out a long breath and step off the elevator. Seriously, where does he expect me to get all these items?

* * *

In this chapter, Esther gets to loosen up a bit. She gets to act like a 22 year old girl instead of an accomplice of a criminal mastermind. Akane also seems to know her more than Yuki did. I think they interacted a bit during college. I'd bet they were partners for a project at some point, or something along those lines. I need to ask, does Esther act her age? All of my previous characters have been teenagers, so I'm not sure she's perfect. Then again, no one is perfect. I'm happy with how her character has been playing out so far. I want to develop her farther, so she seems even more realistic than she is now. Isn't that the goal for all authors and their characters?

Till then, Kisses from SnowyNeko! :3 MEOW!


	8. Chapter 8

The helmets are what she was gathering supplies for last time. Of course, she didn't know that. I have to wonder how they got so many helmets made, anyway. It's not like they have a conveyor belt to roll the things off of. So does that mean each mask was handmade? That'd take a pretty long time. And you have to think, what if someone wanted the helmet so they could just live peacefully. Even if their hue was clouded, they just wanted to live a normal life, so they got one of the helmets and ended up being the target of one of the angry mobs. Poor person! :(

I don't own Psycho Pass or its characters. I kinda wish I had Makashima, though.

* * *

Someone's posted a video of a beating. It's a man in a helmet who's attacked a girl and killed her in the middle of the streets. It isn't the violence that shocks me, rather, the ignorance of those watching. Sybil has kept them so protected and closed off from any form of crime that they don't know what's going on. None of their expressions register the horror of witnessing a murder. Instead, they look on blankly.

I find the comments on the video and scroll through, not seeing the words 'murder' or 'beating' anywhere. It's just a ton of confused sheep tossed into an unfamiliar situation. They can't comprehend the brutality of what they're being shown. If anything, this proves just how naïve humankind has become thanks to the almighty Sybil system.

My phone clicks off and I reach for my own helmet. Shogo and his primary hacker, whose name I can never remember, have created a computer system to wear that tricks the Sybil system by stealing the psycho pass of a clear person nearby. The video spreading across the Internet is proof it's effective.

The existence of such an accessory has thrown the area into chaos. On our bus ride, we've passed multiple street riots. Shogo has succeeded to sink a part of society into pandemonium for a short while, and that's all the opening that's needed. The NONA tower has been left unguarded. Without our hues being legible, we're free to waltz in and roam the building as much as we need. All inspectors and enforcers are out trying to contain the rioters.

The tower grows taller as we approach it, illuminated with neon blue lights. Most lights are blue because of the calming effect the color has. It's suiting that the building controlling everyone gives off such a glow, keeping its followers docile and complacent. From what I've read, the suicide rates in Japan have dramatically dropped due to the change in lighting. Although I don't doubt the blue has made a difference, I'm more inclined to believe it has more to do with the Sybil system and the medication people take to keep their psycho pass low.

I tuck my phone into my jacket pocket and lift the headgear on. Everyone in this bus looks ridiculous, but Shogo wasn't really concerned with the fashion appeal when he was designing these. We look like a ton of metallic-headed aliens waiting for orders to destroy the world. We're armed like a military, ranged and blunt weapons alike, with no opposing army to stop us. I carry a pistol in a holster and a taser hidden under my outer layer. With the plan, I shouldn't have to use either. I'm hoping we'll pull it off without a hitch, but that's fairly unreasonable. Shogo has planned around Kougami returning, but who he'll come with is unknown. There are too many variables. It's more likely something will go terribly wrong than for everything to go smoothly, but risks are a given with our goals. The vehicle jolts to a stop and I suck in a deep breath.

Here we go.

I'm the last off the bus, having been in the back. Shogo, the Korean hacker and I are the only ones dressed in regular, everyday clothes. The others are all wearing odd red suits, almost like a uniform. They're the 'special' team put together for infiltrating. Really, they're just like all the other hopeless bums we gave the other helmets to. The only difference is that they're a little easier to manipulate, and a little more physically fit. They're perfect pawns for his game.

We get split into two groups, Shogo and the hacker being the leaders. The plan is for Shogo to go to the top floor, where there's a radio tower. It's an important part of society, but us going up there is only a distraction. When Kougami returns, he'll want to chase Shogo. There are surely cameras capturing our movements, so it likely won't take long for him to discover our positions. Even if he figures out our diversion, he won't be able to help himself. While that's going on, the hacker can go down to the secret levels of the basement uninterrupted. His objective is to find Sybil's heart. We're here to find what the governing system is _really_. I, of course, am going with Shogo.

We walk right by the police drones standing guard, as they read all our psycho passes as white as Shogo's. Immediately, we split off as one group heads down and the other up. I trail directly behind Shogo, his toy soldiers clumped together behind us.

"Hey." One of the pawns addresses Shogo. "You never did tell us why the girl is here."

I answer for him so we don't have to slow down. "I wasn't going to just let him do something this dangerous while I sat at home," I explain, composed. "He said I could come as long as I don't interfere."

"Ha ha! So even he has a woman tying him down!" another man muses.

"Don't misunderstand," I glare, "we aren't a couple." _Much to my displeasure._ I only wish we were. He isn't the first to be mistaken about that, which pleases me, but at the same time, whenever someone mentions that I'm reminded of the impossibility of a relationship between us. It stings no less than it did the first time someone said that.

"So what, then? Are you his sister?"

"Something of the sort," Shogo responds before I can open my mouth. Blood rushes to my face. _Sister. H_ e sees me as his _sister._ I guess I don't have the right to complain. He doesn't even consider his real family as his family, so it's special for him to think of me so highly, but I've never once thought of him as a brother. As a child, I looked up to and admired him. The older I grew, the more those feelings developed and the more complicated they got. I would never call him a sibling, because he's so much more than that to me.

"We aren't actually blood related," I point out, feeling the need to refute his statement. With that, the conversation is ended. The air between Shogo and I seems tense, but I'd bet I'm the only one who feels it. I'm the only one who has any reason to feel so awkward.

The men behind me snicker, whispering to each other. "So, he likes the little sister type."

Something in my snaps and I whip out my gun, aiming at the group of men. They come to a halt, looks of surprise probably forming under their masks. "Shut up. You aren't here to gossip, you're here to do something that's highly illegal, so be quiet." I tuck the pistol back into its holster and we continue to an elevator, all chattering from behind me silenced. The safety never came off the gun, and even if it had I wouldn't have shot, but they don't know that.

We crowd onto the elevator, crammed together. I do my best to ignore the smell of sweaty men and press the button to the top. The ride is uncomfortable, but I try not to shift around. I am well aware of my being the only female here. The last thing I want to do is tempt any of these strangers into doing something I'd make them regret.

When the doors finally slide open, I take a deep breath of the clean air and step out. I have to say, I'm impressed these helmets don't impede my ability to breathe in the slightest.

Shogo begins to hand out orders. "You three go hide around this room the best you can. I want a few people on the stairs to slow the enforcer on his way up. Esther, you are to hide until the very end. No matter what happens, you're forbidden from coming out. Do you understand?"

"Yeah, I got it," I sigh, glancing around. The only places to hide are behind the pillars or up the stairs, but the stairs are a 'no' because I'd be easy enough to discover. All a person would have to do is look up. So instead I choose the pillar farthest from the elevator and stairs. I'll have to stand the entire time, because there isn't enough room for me to sit. Not only would I be noticeable, but the pillar is right up against the wall. Most of the walls are glass, but around that pillar it conveniently isn't. That way, my reflection won't give away my location. I wedge myself into my spot and relax the best I can. In tight situations (figuratively speaking), it's best to have a clear mind so you can act rationally. I even my breathing and close my eyes, listening intently. I won't be able to see what's going on unless I catch a glimpse of reflections in the glass that's within my line of sight. My ears will be my best companion for now.

It isn't long before I hear the sounds of fighting. Kougami has arrived. It's muffled, so that would mean he's still in the stairway, but that won't last. He'll burn through the first few masked pawns fast enough. He managed to take down those infernal metal dogs by himself, so he has to be amazingly skilled with hand to hand combat. Either that, or he has luck that far surpasses that of any Irish leprechaun.

He's soon made his way onto this floor, and the soldiers lying in wait are quickly thrown into battle. I hear metal grating across the floor and realize he's thrown away his dominator. Smart. It's useless in a situation like this, and it'll only restrict his movements to carry it.

Someone crashes into my pillar and my eyes jerk open. I search for a reflection and find it in the wall to my right. The man is ripped away from the pillar and punched back into a window. It shatters and I cover my face instinctively. The action is too close for comfort, but I have nowhere to go. My eyes widen as I watch Kougami shoot the helmeted man. His skin boils, turning inside out and bubbling until he explodes with blood and guts. I feel bile rising in my throat, but force it back down. Falling to his death would've been much worse.

I must've been wrong about him discarding his dominator. Or, maybe he picked it back up at some point. I'm not sure, but it doesn't really matter. I'm not sure if he kills the others, or just knocks them out, but it isn't long before he's defeated Shogo's minions. Then, footsteps echo from above.

"You fought rather well, considering your wounds."

"You," Kougami growls, "Are Shogo Makashima."

I can hear his chuckle. "And you are Shinya Kougami." He begins to quote another person I've probably never heard of, and to my surprise, Kougami identifies who it is. I'm tempted to peek around the pillar to look at him, but stop myself. How is it Kougami knows who Shogo's quoting? Very few people do. I figured out he was smart pretty quickly, but this exceeds my expectations.

"Us having the same taste in books doesn't exactly thrill me." So they're quoting books. I wonder if I've read them. I've read so many I've forgotten half of them. I don't have memory as retaining as Shogo's.

I stiffen when Kougami starts spouting death threats. I was under the impression they'd try to take him alive, but Kougami doesn't even mention letting him live. He's intent on killing him right here and now. I strain to see their reflections, becoming more nervous by the minute. Shogo can take care of himself, and the enforcer is injured, but still...I can sense the blood thirst in Kougami.

He makes the first move, going to kick Shogo. He's easily blocked and the battle begins. They start off with Kougami on the offensive, Shogo simply blocking and retaliating, but it quickly switches to Shogo's control. As they fight, Shogo talks.

"Don't you wish to know they truth about the Sybil system?" he asks, preforming a move that might break Kougami's arm. His movements are graceful and fluid, compared to Kougami's blundering, but they're well matched. I imagine the fight would be a lot more fair if Kougami hadn't been injured beforehand.

Shogo gets him to the ground and kicks him without hesitation. He isn't one for honor. To win a fight, you have to finish it. He doesn't leave his opponent once they're down. His breath comes labored, but the entire fight he's had a grin of enthusiasm I rarely ever see. For the time being, his eternal boredom is relieved. He's actually having fun! As much as it took for it to happen, I feel my heart lighten at the sight of it. This is why I help him. This is the joy I want to see in him. It might be selfish of me, since it took someone getting beat to achieve it, but I don't care. It isn't the violence I'm happy about.

He takes out his razor, the telltale sign he's going to kill. Even so, the smile doesn't fade from my face. I look away, though. I don't want to see Kougami die. He doesn't deserve it, but Shogo...

"I was hoping this wouldn't end in such a disappointing way," he says to the enforcer, "but for a moment I forgot my boredom. Thanks for that."

Sudden rushing footsteps shock me and I pop from my hiding place without thinking. Just as I turn, I see Akane swinging one of the helmets and knocking it against Shogo's head. I'm unable to stop a gasp when he collapses to the floor. I remove my gun, releasing the trigger, and aim.

"Inspector Tsunemori, put down the helmet and step away from Shogo." She turns to me in surprise, dropping the metal mask. I glance down at him, relieved to see he's still breathing, then bring my attention back to the able inspector. "Enforcer Kougami, are you okay?"

He doesn't respond for a second, baffled by my concern. "I'll live."

Well, at least I won't have to see another death tonight.

"Who are you?" Akane asks, stepping towards me.

"Don't come any closer," I command. "Tell me, what do you plan to do with him?"

"We're only going to take him in for questioning. Please, put down the gun and hand yourself over. If you do, the punishment won't be so severe."

"You won't kill him?"

"No, we need him to answer some questions."

Underneath my mask, my smile returns. "Thank you. That's all I needed to know." With that, I turn and run to the glass, which has already repaired itself. I break through it again, diving from the building to the water below. Being on the top floor, this is a gamble, but I can't let myself be captured. Shogo wouldn't want it.

I keep my breathing deep and calm my racing heart. It'll all be fine. The water is deep enough that I won't hit the bottom. Even if I pass out, I'll float. Someone might pull me out of the water so I don't drown. Then again, maybe I won't pass out. Then I can swim to shore and discard my helmet and useless weapons. I'll be fine.

I won't die.

* * *

She's pretty brave in this chapter. I mean, diving off a seventy floor tall building takes some guts. I'm pretty sure that'd kill you, or at least seriously harm you if you landed in the water wrong. Either way, that was pretty reckless of her. As I was writing this, I was thinking, _Ah, she's finally lost it._ I'm not exactly sure how intact her sanity is after being with Shogo her entire life. It seems to have withered away around the edges. How many sane people would pull a stunt like that? I might have to try to measure her level of sanity.

Till then, Kisses from SnowyNeko! :3 MEOW!


	9. Chapter 9

Sorry I took so long to update. I forgot to mention I was going on vacation for the week. I'm obviously back now, and I had a wonderful time in case you were wondering. I typed this all up on the plane ride back, all at night. If there are grammatical errors, I apologize, and blame it on fatigue. Also, I didn't have access to microsoft word at the time or autocorrect. So concerning misspelled words, I tried my best. Unfortunately, internet connection is a pain when flying.

I don't own any of the anime or its characters, so on with the story!

* * *

The water slices past me, stinging against my skin. I'm barely able to keep my breath at the impact. I surface as quickly as I can, ripping off the helmet. Had I not readjusted myself in midair, this fall would have been deadly. When Shogo tells me to research things like this, I've always done it with the thought of, _W_ _hen am I ever going to use this?_ But now I'm glad I did, because otherwise I would have just died. Falling from such heights, or in my case jumping, has a incredibly low chance of survival. After catching my breath, I discard my now useless gun and taser. I lie on my back and float, figuring I have a minute or two to rest before I have to bolt. Also, I'd be willing to bet I damaged something in the fall. My hue has probably darkened significantly, but considering everything that's been going on, I think I'll be able to get away with it for the next day or so. I guess it actually would be safer if I don't wear the helmet.

Once the throbbing pain of hitting the water subsides to some extent, I flip, and force my aching muscles to carry me to shore. I drag myself from the water and collapse, cold and soaked. Now my primary goal is to put distance between me and NONA tower.

I scramble to my feet, taking off into the concrete forest. This close to the tower, all the mobs have been contained. Only the destruction they left in their wake remains. Windows are smashed in, small fires still burn, and I'm surprised to find graffiti. The citizens may beleive they have on an excuse to go on a rampage, suposedly to protect themselves, but what made them think that made graffiti suddenly legal? How do they justify that?

I'm not sure how far I've ran until my legs give out beneath me. Hurriedly, I shift my weight to catch myself on a wall. On it, the words 'THE END' are spray painted in red. The reality of everything crashes into me all at once.

It isn't the chaos that has me in turmoil: I'm used to things like that by now. No, it's Shogo's capture that calls forth the tears to my eyes. I cup a hand to my mouth and sob.

Akane told me they won't kill him, but why shouldn't they? Surely they've linked him to many of his crimes by now. Even Shogo wont be able to talk his way out of this one. Will they torture him? If I hadn't been so sure reinforcements were on their way, I would have taken him, Akane at gunpoint, and escaped with him.

"Damn it!" I can't rescue him if I don't even know where he is! Consumed with worry, I cry until my tearducts have dried.

XX

The victims are offered treatment for both their injuries and mentality. People are packed into public places, recovering from the riots. I don't have to look too hard to find a group of enforcers overseeing everything. Their inspector I recognize to be Ginoza, Kougami's partner before he was demoted. Now, I believe he works with Akane.

I recieve heavy medication to clear my hue. It isn't pills like the usual prescribed medicine. Instead, it flows into me through an IV. In my opinion, it's no different from morphine. I regulate my drip, unlike other patients in my condition. As they become drunk on a temporary state of Serenity, my moderation allows me to keep my senses about.

All the crying I did last night lowered my psycho pass enough to be classified as a side effect of the trauma. As long as I'm able to get it under control, they'll have no reason to arrest me.

The area stress level should be rapidly declining, and as soon as the mess is cleared, it'll be like nothing ever happened. There'll be slight unrest about the mere existance of the masks, but that will die down quickly. Society will keep fnctioning blindly, just as it always has. People will ignore everything that's inconvienient to them, so long as they can continue their lives without a care. A life without problems sounds appealing, doesn't it? I would rather die.

It isn't living if you don't struggle. People only have value when acting on their desires. I don't mean their want to help the community, but the want for themselves. Of course, that doesn't mean I'm alright with killing of those mindless sheep. They all have the potential to become indivisuals from the herd, and some take an entire lifetime to do it.

My attention is snagged when Ginoza gets up from his seat and leaves his group. Whatever has called him away, it must be extremely important for him to abandon his enforcers. From what I've researched, he likes to keep him hunting dogs on a tight leash.

The enforcers he's left behind are Masaoka and Yayoi. Masaoka is a retired detective, so it may be best that I don't approach him. Yayoi, however, was previously a musician. I might be able to pry some information out of her. Taking my medical drip with me, I approach the enforcer.

"Excuse me?" She turns and appraises me, deeming me harmless. "Those masks...how is that possible?" By beginning with a question many are bound to have, I'm creating in her the impression that I'm nothing but a victimized, confused citizen. By keeping it general, I'm opening up for more information.

Her response comes out in almost a monotone, factual. It strikes me that she's trying to seperate herself from the situation so that she doesn't react on emotion. I hadn't expected her to be an idot, but there is usually a level of innocence that comes with being young. For her to be aware that numbing herself is the best way for her to handle catastrophies, she's definitely been through more than you'd expect for her age. Then I'm hit with the realization that I'm not all that different from her.

"Technology doesn't always advance as fast as hackers. The problems exposed through this event will be dealt with immediately. It is possible something like this could happen again, but every time it does, Sybil improves because of it. Please don't worry."

"Who made them, though? How could a villain get away with that?" I plead, raising my voice enough to immitate panic.

"The suspect has been caught and is now in custody," she informs me, confirming my fears. "He'll be put on trial and prosecuted. I promise, we won't let him get away with anything."

"How soon?" I ask. It takes everything in me not to choke on my words. "When will the trial be?"

She shakes her head. "I don't know."

Swallowing this information, I thank her and return to the place I was sitting. I release a large dosage into my bloodstream when I notice my increased heartrate, forcing myself to calm down. I can't be discouraged. now have the word of both an inspector and an enforcer that he won't be killed immediately, that he isn't dead already. That's good news. Unfortunately, I can't question her as to where he's being held. Not only would that arouse suspision, but she may not even know.

Enforcers are treated as nothing more than tools, and what reason is there to tell a hammer top secret information about the most recent criminal mastermind? It would be nice if we could free the enforcers, too, when we finally destroy Sybil. There isn't a doubt in my mind the girl Yayoi deserves better. Masaoka, too. He actually worked for the law before Sybil was put into action, and I've found that he was both a talented and devoted detective. Kaguri didn't even get the chance to grow up before he was arrested as a latent criminal. It would be nice if he could gain a taste of freedom for oonce in his life.

Then there's Shinya Kougami. He used to be a Sybil servant, working alongside Ginoza as a inspector. He in no way deserved to be demoted, but his justified want for revenge secured a collar around his neck.

Sybil has all but sapped hatred from modern society. It is our liberty to feel what we want, even if we're kept from acting rash. Sybil, though. Sybil puts those who feel hatred behind bars simply because of the possibility they might take up arms. Although it does balance crime at the least it's been in nearly all of history, it too often locks up innocents. Kougami seems to have a rare sense of justice that's hard to come by. I personally see that as a good quality, not a reason to be treated like a felon. None of the other enforcers have done anything illegal either, and as far as I can tell, they're not bad people.

With all these thoughts I have that would be considered 'rebellious', my psycho pass won't be lowering very fast. Luckily, I have the knowledge to be able to hide until I'm clear again. Unluckily, I probably won't clear up until Shogo is safe, and I'm certain he's alright. Who knows how long until that'll be.

Sighing, I remve the IV from my arm and pass it to a newcomer with wide, frantic eyes. I creep away from the crowd, careful to avoid nearby scanners and doctors. Once a safe distance from the refuge, I sprint home. Main streets and heavily populated areas I have to avoid, but I'm familiar enough with the backroads to find my way without any trouble.

Arriving home, I slam the door behind me. I ignore Hunter and the caws of the other two large birds and head straight to the computer, plopping down in the seat. Although I haven't got a wink of sleep, I don't feel the least bit drowsy.

I like to avoid doing any sort of illegal ectivity from this house, but this will be an exception. With fingers flying across the keyboard, I slip in to read Ginoza's recent reports. I don't ever implant things when I hack, and I'm unfamiliar with the terminology, but regardless, I possess the necessary skills. Getting in and out unnoticed is never child's play, but I can d it when I try.

I scan through, quickly searching for anything relevent. I find yet another confirmation on Shogo's capture, reported to be alive and well, but unconsious. I also discover Kaguri's gone missing. Ginoza has written that he was last seen at the NONA tower by Kougami and Akane last night. He was supposed to pursue a group seperate from Makashima into the basement. That would mean he followed that Korean hacker and his crew.

Now that I think about it, there hasn't been any sign of them, either. I pull up NONA tower's blueprint again, scrolling to inspect the lower floors. Most of them were lost in the recent blueprints and have completely fallen out of existance, but there's no evidence to suggust they were taken out. Those missing floors are where everyone disappeared from. Even in the original plans, there are no other ways out of the tower than through the front doors.

Does that mean they're still down there? Could they have gotten trapped at some point? But if that were the case, Kaguri wouldn't have been effected since he was behind them. Did something happen to _all_ of them? Is there something down there preventing them from leaving? Whatever it may be, there's undeniably something down there. I imagine it's either extraordinarily important, or something that must be kept secret at all costs. But what could be so monumental has to have to hide it from even the people who work there day to day? I can't picture it.

A flurry of bright red feathers breaks my concentration. Cranberry's landed atop my computer, flapping to gain his footing.

"Hungry!" he squawks. "Cranberry is hungry!" I quickly close out of everything, erasing any footprints I may have left. The birds' foodbowls are indeed empty, so I refil them.

"Hunter, look up information concerning Shogo Makashima," I direct the hologram.

"Information found. Information blocked."

"Override code 66HNA32F:S."

The hawk stills, processing this information before, "Information found. Woud you like me to read it to you?"

"Yes."

"Twenty seven year old Shogo Makashima has been apprehended. He is suspected of having connections with multiple past cases, including that of Kozaburo Touma. He was found to be criminally asymptomatic, and is marked to be incorporated into Sybil within the week." Incorporated into Sybil? What is that supposed to mean? "There is evidence from both Inspector Akane Tsunemori and Enforcer Shinya Kougami that suggusts he has a female companion, who does not share his rare ability. She was spotted with him at NONA tower the day of his capture. If found, she will be killed with the lethal eliminator."

"HUH?"

"Repeating," he states, rewinding his speech. "If found, she will be killed with the lethal eliminator." Why? My psycho pass isn't _that_ high, and even if it spiked by chance, Sybil has no way of knowing that! Whatever happened to a computerized, digital judgement system without human influence? That has to be in there due to human input, because the set system would not judge someone without a read on their psycho pass.

"Hunter, are there any related reports filed? Disclude Rikako, Senguji, and other recent criminal apprehensions dating back a year."

"Multiple results found. Shall I list them all?" In any other situation, I'd find his formal wording amusing.

"Summerize to me the document that first listed Shogo Makashima," I command, readying a pen.

"Three years ago, Kozaburo Touma was taken into custody. He turned himself in and was promptly incorporated into the Sybil system, as he was found to be criminally asymptomatic. He told of another like him, with above average intellect, by the name of Shogo Makashima."

My pen had froze at Touma's name. He was incorporated? Is that why he seemed to just disappear? So is that what will happen to Shogo? Still, I find it hard to believe Touma simply spilled everything about us.

"Are there any places where the name Esther Bryant is mentioned?" I bite my lip, anxious as he searches thouroghly through the databases kept at NONA tower.

"Negative."

"Thank God!" Tension dissipates and I let myself fall on the table. I knew Touma was a good guy! He probably knew that even if he told them about Shogo, he wouldn't be easy to track down. But this still all begs the question, what does it mean to be incorporated? And why are dangerous criminals being made a part in how the government is run?

A knock at the door yanks me to my feet, and I'm opening it within seconds. The first thing I notice about the person is the stark white of his hair. I stand motionless, not quite processing the sight before my eyes.

"Are you going to let me in?"

The next thing I know, my arms are slung around his neck and my face is buried in his shoulder. His arms wrap around me as well, albeit much slower. As I embrace him, my thoughts feel like they're floating away and my vision begins to swim.

"Something's wrong," I murmur, my grip around him loosening, "with Sybil, Shogo." Strength gone, I slump to the floor.

* * *

I had no idea she could hack. Honestly, I guess it makes sense. Shogo doesn't always tell her everything, so she has to look stuff up on her own. She's very intent on being informed, and doesn't like to be left in the dark. She's sort of one of those characters who knows everything about you before meeting you. I mentioned God in this chapter, which is something I try to avoid. I like to make my characters agnostic, a neutral, when it comes to religions, as not to offend anyone. Sometimes mentions of God just fit, though, and I have a hard time writing around it. If you're curious as to my religion, I'll be keeping that a secret as well. For the same reasons as I don't give my characters a religion, you understand. I actually have the next chapter started, but not finished. I'm not sure how I'm going to fill it without it becoming a filler. We'll see how it ends up.

Till then, Kisses from SnowyNeko! :3 MEOW!


	10. Chapter 10

She fainted at the end of the last chapter. Or, you could also say she fell asleep. She's been pretty exhausted as of late. You don't get a lot of time to rest when your challenging the world's heart of existence. So something I do while writing a fanfiction is rewatching the anime, matching it to my pace of chapter updates. So I got to the hyper oats towards the end and thought I should point something out. Shogo and Esther eat very little hyper oats. Whenever she goes shopping, she tries to buy things that are only naturally grown. It limits their diet, and they eat hyper oats whenever she goes out to eat, or orders take out. Even so, they do have a stockpile of frozen fruits and vegetables in case of a food shortage. So if the hyper oats were to be destroyed, it would be a while before they felt the effects. Just thought I should say so.

Psycho Pass and it's characters are not mine. Without farther ado, the story.

* * *

"So that's how it is." I take the coffee mug from Shogo, trying to comprehend what I've just been told. Even after everything I dug up yesterday, Sybil is more messed up than I could've imagined. "How many more days until the system is back up and running?"

"Around five," he tells me, "which is why you need to get better. This is the opening I've been waiting for, but I don't have long to act."

"Have you decided what you'll do?"

"I have."

"But you won't tell me." I sip the dark liquid. "You forgot the cream." He reaches into his pocket, pulling out a packet of cream and pouring it into the cup in my hands.

"No I didn't." I narrow my eyes at him, drinking the now sweetened coffee. "You have a temperature of 101, Esther. How much sleep have you been getting lately?"

"Not a lot," I admit.

"Well, just rest for today. You need sleep more than I do."

"I don't know how you survive," I muse, shaking my head. He gets up to go, but I grab his arm to stop him. In the process, coffee splashes over the rim of the cup and onto my lap. I jerk my hand back, hissing in pain. Sighing, he tosses me a towel to clean myself with.

"Could you get me something to eat?" I request, wiping myself up.

"Just because you're sick doesn't mean you incapacitated." He heads to the kitchen anyway. I wait patiently until he returns with a plate of sliced tomatoes.

"You should save the tomatoes," I note, taking a slice and biting into it. Some of the juices stain the blanket over my legs, but I don't pay it any mind. "They're your favorite, aren't they?"

"They aren't just for you," he says, taking one for himself. It's silent as we eat, but not awkward. This happens often enough that I'm used to it.

"You haven't told me how you escaped," I remark. "I think I understand the situation with Sybil now, but how did you get away?" A slight grin appears on his face, so I prepare myself for an outrageous answer.

"I crashed a plane."

"You-!" I can't control my laughter. I have to set down my cup to keep from spilling as giggles wrack my body. "Ah!" My breath catches when pain shoots through my side. I cringe, tensing.

"Whatever stunt _you_ pulled to escape the tower, it worsened your bullet wound," Shogo informs me, grabbing a medical kit from under the coffee table. I lift my shirt to see gauze encasing my torso, fresh blood seeping through it. "It's become deeper and wider. What did you do?"

I watch him take out ointment and a roll of bandages. "I jumped."

He pauses. "From the top floor? A fall like that should have killed you! Do you have any idea how lucky you are that this is all it did?"

"I'm aware," I mutter, knowing that what I did was completely insane. Even if I have researched how to survive things like that, I've never actually done it until now. He moves to sit on the couch, so I move my legs out of the way. "But it still hurts."

"I need to change the bandage. Could you hold your shirt out of the way?" I do as he says and he removes the dirty gauze. As he takes it off, it occurs to me that he put it on me when I was asleep. I turn my face away, recognizing the hot feeling in my face as blush. When he picks up the ointment, I stretch my hand out for it.

"I can do that myself."

"Just drink your coffee," he dismisses me, squeezing it onto his finger. I don't dare pick up the drink for fear of spilling more as he rubs the cold cream on my wound. The mixture of pain, coldness, and nearness is nearly to much for me. I have to bite the inside of my cheek, drawing blood, to keep myself still. My eyes lock shut, but that does nothing but amplify the feeling of his fingers on my skin. I bring them to open, meeting Shogo's amused smirk. He's doing this on purpose!

"Stop teasing the sick and injured," I snap, moving away from his hand. Apparently satisfied with my reaction, he replaces the ointment in the medical kit and finally gets to wrapping the gauze. "Cruel bastard."

"You're just an idiot," he retorts, tying the bandages and putting everything away.

"Am not," I argue, feeling like a child even as I say it.

"Are too." Neither of us says anything after that, going back to snacking. At some point notice that Song has flown into the room and I hold out my finger for her to land on. She flaps over to me and I pet the back of her head.

"Remember when I first got her?" I recall the time clearly. "It was my birthday, so you didn't say anything about it, but I could tell you weren't very happy about me bringing her home. I had been out at the pet store buying feed for Cranberry and overheard some of the employees talking about her. No one would by her because she had brown on her wings. They didn't know why she came like that, since all the others were pure yellow. They didn't know what to do with her. I walked right up to them and told them I'd buy her for the same price as the other canaries. They couldn't believe it. I was only sixteen at the time.

"When you saw her, you just asked if she was my new pet. I could tell you were unhappy because you didn't say anything else about it. You didn't so much as mention her again for the next few weeks. It was only when she started singing that you acknowledged her." I chuckle. "You acted like a spoiled child."

"Well, I didn't approve of you keeping the first one," he points out.

"They would have killed him had I not taken him. Most people don't want anything to do with latent criminals, and that includes the pets that they kept. I happened to hear about him from the news. Snowball, though, I found by searching, so you can blame me for that. After rescuing Cranberry, I figured there had to be more like him. I scoured the Internet and found the cockatoo."

"It would be nice if those two would just whistle tunes like this one." He pets Song's back. "They just won't be quiet sometimes."

"Hey, Shogo, have you ever wanted a pet?" I inquire absently. As far as I know, he's never had one and never shown any interest. The only animal I ever saw in his house was...something I almost want to forget.

"Maybe," he sighs. "I've never really had an interest in a creature that follows blindly. But, maybe. Perhaps I'll get a bird."

I laugh, careful not to move. "I guess it'd be some sort of song bird, wouldn't it. Nothing big and noisy so you could read in peace."

"It wouldn't matter if the bird didn't have vocal cords. It's already difficult reading here with the other two."

"Yeah, true enough." I lean my against the cushion, dropping my hand as Song hops off and onto the blanket. Look at us. Here we are, a wanted mass murderer and his childhood friend, sitting at home chatting about birds before we attempt to take down the governing system that's been in effect since we were small. It reminds me of the bird man, a criminal from long before Sybil. He was taken to the highest security prison in America, called Alcatraz. He was a genius, rarely causing trouble himself and instead provoking the other prisoners to riot. To keep him appeased, they let him keep birds. The similarities are undeniable, but I doubt he was nearly as handsome as the mastermind before me.

We're two people hunted by the law, always in danger of being caught, always in danger of dying, always in danger of making _just one_ wrong move and ruining everything. And yet, look at us. If you were to take a picture of us and show it to someone, they'd think we're nothing but ordinary people. It's weird how a day, an hour can change from one to the next. It's like, one minute you're running for your life, and the next you're relaxing in comfort, talking like nothing happened. It's amazing how easily we can adapt to these changes without struggle. I smile, unable to keep the amusement from my face.

"Esther, why do you keep me around?" I look up at Shogo, confused. "You asked me before, so now I'm asking you. Why do you keep me around?" His face doesn't show a hint of the worry I had while asking the question. If I were to guess, I'd say he already knows the answer. He just wants to hear me say it.

"Because why not?" I yawn. This earns a grin from him. There's so much more than that, but if I were to come out and say that I like him, this little existence of ours would be over. Even if he's likely already conscious of my emotions, it's an unspoken rule that I must never voice it. "And don't answer that, it's a rhetorical question."

"Humans are inclined to hide. Even those who fight instead of flee, they'll hide from themselves what they don't want others to know."

"Sometimes I forget that I'm the therapist here." Speaking of which, "Hey, can you get my headgear? I can't take a day off from work if I can still man a computer."He brings it to me and I set up the controls to log on. As I do so, he grabs a jacket. "Where are you going?"

"Work. There's someone I need to see." I don't question him any farther, watching him leave. Once the door clicks shut behind him, I turn on the equipment and log in.

When I open my eyes, I'm in a small, private tent like that of a fortune teller's. The space is kept dim, with lavender scented candles lit to create a calming atmosphere. Outside, I can hear the faint murmur of the people in the server. Perhaps the best way to describe this word I've set up is a chat room. There are practically infinite tables where people can sit down and talk with each other. The point is to ask about how to exact revenge. I can't help everyone that comes in, so not only are there other therapists I've invited to help out, but people help each other. What I do is wander from table to table and pick people who look like they're seriously struggling and take them back to my tent. I've never had a person leave my tent discontent.

I poke at my fangs with my tongue, annoyed. I really wish I could get rid of these. With a flourish of leathery wings, I stand from my chair and float out of the dwelling. Almost instantly, I notice a floating coin separate from the rest.

"You seem troubled," I approach him. I found out soon after discovering Akane's character's Lemonade Candy that this is Inspector Ginoza's avatar. He's one of the people I least expected to encounter here. "Would you like to come to my tent and speak with me?" My voice is automated to come out silky smooth and heavy, almost like a hypnotist's. Everything I designed to make my server the pinnacle of comfort.

"Yes, I came here to see you." I guide him back, taking a seat. I have to withhold a chuckle when his floating coin avatar leaps up onto the chair across from me. "I want to tell you I'm not here for revenge. I discovered you're an anonymous therapist who doesn't ever interact with her patients in reality, so I thought that maybe you could help me."

"I understand. I shall do my best to assist you," I accept, bowing my head to him.

"In my line of work, it's a given that people will possibly become latent criminals. It's particularly stressful and known for raising people's psycho passes, but I would prefer you not ask as to what it is."

"Go on," I prompt.

"Recently I've been going to see a therapist in the real world. My psycho pass has been raising, and I'm afraid I will follow the path of a previous colleague of mine. Although he suggested me for intense therapy, I just cannot afford to take a break from my job right now. Is there any advice you could give to me?"

"I see..." I ponder. It's quite possible he can't take time off due to Shogo's activity, and also due to Kaguri's disappearance. Unfortunately, I feel that if Kaguri discovered Sybil's true form while in the basement, he's gone for good. "That is most troublesome if you cannot take the therapy. What is it about your job that has been causing you to stress recently? Surely if it's happened to a friend of your in the past, you've been able to keep your hue clear for this long. What has changed?"

"A lot, actually. I can't disclose the details, but we have a new subject and two of us are missing."

Two? I knew Kaguri was missing, but who else? The only two I didn't see the other day were Akane and Kougami. So that means it was one of them?

"It sounds as if you need to take a step back. It would be excellent if you could take time off, but since you can't, try to look at things from a different angle. If you don't think you can, surely there is a coworker of yours that you can entrust yourself to. I don't mean to burden them, but try actually working together instead of separately. It should reduce stress on the both of you, overall. As for your missing companions, there will be time to worry about them. In this situation, it's best to keep your emotions and work in their own respective worlds. Again, I will say that if you can take a break for any length of time, that is your best option. Even without the therapy, I believe it would help you recover and highly encourage it. This has been helpful, I hope?"

"It has. Thank you for your time."

When Ginoza leaves the tent, I don't budge. Not only is the inspector's crime coefficient trembling, but another person is missing. It can't be Akane, because he accepted my advice on teaming up with a colleague, so that means it's Kougami. Kougami's missing? When did this happen? There wasn't any sign of it when I checked the reports yesterday. I know for a fact he didn't go down into the basement. He came up and fought Shogo, and was likely treated for his wounds afterwards. So if that's not how he vanished, what happened? Did he do it of his own will? He's a very obstinate personality, so would that be surprising?

Well, I guess I know what Shogo and I will be talking about when he gets home.

* * *

I had this little encounter with Ginoza planned since the beginning. It's one of the main reasons I made her a therapist for a living. Although, it was quite a bit different. I had planned on her being called into her office in real life, and end up substituting for his usual therapist who couldn't come in for some reason. I think this one was a lot better, though, because you get a glimpse of the server she created. It's how she always does her work, so why should it change. Besides, Ginoza would probably also like the idea of being anonymous. Anyway, I have to get going. I have somewhere to be, so bye! Write to ya later!

Till then, Kisses from SnowyNeko! :3 MEOW!


	11. Chapter 11

This might seem fast, but this is almost to its conclusion. I plan on one more chapter after this. This is by far the shortest I've written thus far, unless you include a poem I wrote about Zankyou no Terror. But we're not over yet! I really like Esther. No one has told me what they envision her as, which is disappointing. I would like to hear what she looks like to you. Even so, I'll tell you how I picture her in the text before the next chapter. When I first had the idea for Esther, I realized I've made no characters yet with a Japanese name. I've thought up a girl and even planned what story she'd go into, but I don't think I'll go through with her story. I just am drawing a blank on how to fill the pages on that one. I have a plan for the next fanfiction I probably will go through with, but again, she has an English name. It just never seems to work with the story I have planned.

I do not own Psycho Pass or the characters from it. Now, to the story!

* * *

Where is he? He said he was going out, but this is too long. Normally he would have warned me if he was going to be out for the entire night. Even so, nighttime has come and gone and I haven't heard from him.

I rested well yesterday afternoon, waking up sometime around one A.M. I hadn't been too worried to begin with, brewing a pot of coffee and having a bowl of oatmeal. I carried on under the assumption he'd be back in the next few hours. But he never turned up. He didn't leave a message, nor has he sent me one. Did something happen? Surely, he didn't get caught. There's no way he'd allow that to happen. Then again, he didn't account for getting arrested at all, and he's already been in custody. Could that have messed up something vital?

His last words to me run through my mind. _There's someone I need to see._

He hasn't picked up anyone new as of late. He's been too focused on Kougami to look for other latent criminals. That leaves it likely that he's gone to see someone to kill them. If it's for work, there's a possibility the MWPSB got involved. Could it have been someone influential?

I flip open an old fashioned laptop and get to work. First things first, I search through the news open to the public. If the information is there for me to reach without doing anything illegal, it would be a waste to hack. Unfortunately, it's not. Other than the ones I was previously aware of, there are no incidents of murders, which leaves me no choice but to dig deeper.

It's doubtful that Ginoza's already filed a report for something that was likely discovered within the past few hours, if it's been discovered at all. Instead, I turn to tracking. If they've already been to the scene, I'll be able to find out where it was. That could lead me to a hint of where Shogo is, or at least a clue to who his most recent victim was.

It takes a while to bypass the security undetected, but I've eventually gain access to the GPS devices inside their watches. I don't use all of them, but I feel it necessary to use more than one. They might be in different locations, after all, either on their own or split up into groups. I end up looking at Akane's and Ginoza's. They're both in the same place, so I decide to look into it.

Using the geographical coordinates, I pull up the address online. It's in an upscale neighborhood, confirming my speculation that it was someone influential, and somewhat out of the way. It doesn't take long for me to discover the name of the resident.

Nobuaki Kudama.

It's no one I've heard of before, but the information on him to be found on the web is vast. He's a retired scientist of agriculture, his great achievements being the creation of the hyper oats and something called the Uka-no-Mitama virus. This bit of information sends subtle surprise through me. Pretty much everyone thrives off of hyper oats these days. They can be made into many different and diverse kinds of food, so it's rare to come across people who don't consume masses of it on a daily basis. And yet, even with the widespread usage of hyper oats, I've never stopped to consider who it was who first created them. They've just always been there to me, like the compact mirror I use to change outfits.

Putting aside this small revelation, my attention is drawn to the Uka-no-Mitama virus. I pull up a page on it, my mouth dropping as I read.

 _The Uka-no-Mitama virus was created in a lab by Scientist Nobuaki Kudama, the same man to make what we know today as Hyper Oats. The virus was made to accompany the Hyper Oats, designed to target any pests that may endanger the health of the plants. It is a virus that can be modified to attack only one specific organism, or group of organisms, while being completely ineffective against any other. It is thanks to this miraculous breakthrough that society was able to achieve completely machine worked farming, and we are able to harvest such massive amounts of Hyper Oats._

I lean back in my chair, staring in disbelief. Is everyone on this earth an idiot? Can they not see the disastrous effect that such a virus could have if any mistake were to happen? Not only could someone completely destroy the food supply that the virus was meant to protect, but if it were to fall into the hands of someone who's insane, they could modify it to wipe out the entire human race!

Is that what Shogo means to do? I don't mean killing everyone. He may be a psychopath to other people, but he is in no way insane. No, he has a firm grasp on his sanity, unlike me at times. But could he possibly mean to take away the supply of hyper oats? That would explain why he went to the creator himself. To change it, or to even think about executing such terrorism, you'd have to know how the virus works. Otherwise, the plan might not work.

So this tells me where Shogo was, but where is he now? The chance of him still being there while the MWPSB is investigating is monumentally small. Looking up places of hyper oat growth, I find an entire makeup of miles upon miles of fields all controlled by one facility. It apparently used to be a university, but now there's no one. It's run on nothing but electronics, with security that is also one hundred percent mechanical. Also not a smart move by our precious government. With the majority of produce coming from one place, it doesn't make it too hard to take a large portion of the country's food supply out of the equation. All you'd have to do is break into one building.

If I were to guess, the security system can probably be avoided with an identification card. And if there are other things, including fingerprint scanners, Shogo would have taken the body parts from the corpse the MWPSB is looking at.

Despite the risk this operation holds, I usually would've been fine. I usually would have accepted it and waited for his return, but I don't. Maybe it's because he didn't come back before going, or maybe it's just the twisting feeling in the pit of my stomach, but I don't bother to grab a jacket or shut down the laptop before I'm out the door.

Outside, I spot a motorcycle pulled up onto the curb. Whoever it belongs to took the helmet with them, but I'm in too much of a hurry to wait for it. I let it scan my psycho pass, but it comes up negative. There aren't keys for these sort of things anymore. If your hue is clear, you can ride. Of course, mine isn't.

"Hey," I motion to a young boy nearby and he comes over. "Let this scan you." He does so without question, which as much as I need him to, irks me. He most likely knows that bikes like these need a hue check to be ridden, so shouldn't he be at least a little suspicious that someone is asking for his crime coefficient so they can ride? He's probably never encountered someone with bad intent, though. How would he know any better? The blindness he displays brings a growl to my lips, but I thank him and speed off.

I've never ridden a motorcycle before, but since it drives by itself with help from me only to steer, I don't need to know more than how to sit in the right position. I'm at least ten miles per hour over the speed limit, but it doesn't matter to me as I weave in and out of cars. Somehow, the speed makes my blood pump faster than it is already. After I make sure of Shogo's safety, I think I'll get one of these for myself.

My hair loose in the wind makes it a bit difficult to see the directions given to me from my watch, so I end up swerving into turns I hadn't been prepared to take. I'm lucky I don't hit any of the other vehicles on the road with my madman driving. I'm sure I've been reported to authorities by now, but I'm not going to wait around for them to find me.

It takes too long to get to the facility, with the sun already low in the sky. I've just entered into the fields when the bike slows. Surprised, I look to find the gas has run out. I curse, abandoning it where it stands and dashing down the road.

It's impossible. From here, I can see the helicopter that belongs to the police on top of the building. Seeing as the the plants around me are healthy, Shogo hasn't had enough time to get the virus out, which would mean he's still close by.

I slow to a stop, considering my options. Of course, I know Shogo enough to know he can get away on his own, but I don't think he calculated the MWPSB responding so quickly. His plans are risky if something goes wrong with the execution, and this could be exactly the mishap that leads to him getting captured again. Or, in the worst case scenario...

I'm about to pick up my pace again when the faint sound of an explosion stops me in my tracks. My eyes search for any sign of smoke or flames, but find nothing. It must have all happened within the university. Did the police bring explosives? Or was it Shogo? Either way, it's a telltale sign that they've met. Hairs raise with goosebumps on my arms, even though the wind chill is almost nonexistent. I break into a run.

Before long, I catch movement by the trucks lined in front of the building. It's too far in the distance to recognize faces, but the fact that there's two people who aren't trying to kill each other rules out one of them being Shogo. I move closer to the edge of the fields, prepared to flee into them if they notice me. Instead, it's one of the trucks that claims the first attack. It backs up, nearly killing at least one of them, before revving forward.

 _There,_ I decide. _That's where Shogo is_. I duck into the waves of grain to avoid the oncoming truck and watch as it passes by. As it does, I realize with a start that Akane's dangling on the back, a gun (a real one, with actual bullets) aimed down at the front tire.

The shot is fired before I'm able to register what she's trying to do. Immediately, the vehicle swerves, tossing into the fields on its side. I barely contain my voice from calling out when it thuds to a sudden halt. Scrambling through the grain, I tread to the crash. I can't see anyone over the growing oats swaying lightly in the breeze, untouched and unbothered. The gentleness of their brush seems to mock me, saying. _We don't care. Why should we care if a murderer dies? The world will be better off without him. The world can be at peace._

I can hear his voice over the taunting voices in my head, but I can't make out his words. They're too quiet and I'm still too far. He cuts off whatever he's saying abruptly, suggesting someone else has appeared on the scene. With no sounds of scuffling evident, it's likely he's left.

But where? Where is he now? Which way did he go? I continue to the wreck, finding only the truck in ruins and blood. There's a lot of blood. I take in what I see with disbelief. The truck came down on the driver's side, the window there and the windshield shattered. There's no way the one in the driver's seat would come out of that without serious injury.

I shake my head, pinching myself on the arm and letting the pain clear my mind. I need to concentrate. There's blood leading off in two directions. That means Akane and Shogo parted ways. There's no way Akane is alright after all that, either. The good news is, Shogo is still in good enough shape to walk, at least for some distance. Akane, I don't know. She must've been the one he was talking to a minute ago, but if someone else did indeed show up, they could have helped her away.

This conclusion directs me to the path that belongs to Shogo. His, while gory, is a lot less conspicuous than the other. The other's size could be contributed to two different people, one possibly carrying or assisting the other one along. Taking one last glance at the scene, I plunge back into the forest of grain with a mindset to track.

The sun is getting lower, seemingly creeping and dashing at the same time to take cover behind the mountains in the distance. Even _it_ desires to hide, to get away from the havoc ensuing beneath it. To escape this entanglement of blood and confusion. I don't blame it, even as I charge towards this chaos without hesitation.

I finally catch sight of Shogo, collapsed to his knees beyond the field I'm in. I breathe a sigh of relief. I can see the dark stains of wounds, but he's alive! He living and breathing! I can drag him out of here and tend to him, nurse him back to health. I'm sure we'll manage somehow. We always have, after all.

But then the sun sets, and I see what it was so afraid to see. Kougami is there, too. He's standing behind him, gun pointed straight at Shogo's head and the air surrounding him filled with hatred. My mind goes blank as I barrel forward, my throat having gone dry. I can't say anything, nothing will come out but desperate choking noises. All I need is one word, one sentence to distract Kougami long enough for me to reach them. So I can shield him.

And then a bang echoes out over the fields and time stops. The wind stills and a ringing in my ears takes the place of actual noise. I can't tear my eyes away as I watch the shot thrust Shogo forward, face first into the ground. Any thought of self preservation that may have previously existed flies out the window and I cry out.

"SHOGO!"

I lunge from the fields and fall by his side, eyes wide and tears dripping. "Shogo?" I whisper, tentative. I lay a hand on his hair, his white hair so beautiful that it captured my full interest as a child, the hair that's now splattered with red more than it was when he killed that dog all those years ago. That same red seeps between my fingers, warm and wet. "Shogo? I'm here now. I came to get you. I was worried when you didn't come home." I move his head onto my lap, turning him so I can see his face. Blood runs down the side, over his closed eyes. Those beautiful amber eyes that I've grown up admiring. I'll never see them again. What smashes the heart that's already been ripped from my chest is that, gathered near those soft, pale eyelids of his, are salty tears that never got to fall.

I've known him for nineteen years. I've never seen him cry.

My chest heaves and I scream, lowering my head over his. I hold his head on my lap, not noticing the tears that fall onto him. I scream and yell no particular words, just letting my agony pierce the air around me. None of it helps. It doesn't matter how many tears I cry or how raw my throat becomes. Shogo is gone, shot before my eyes. He's _gone._ I'll never hear his voice again, never hear him go on about the books he thinks I should read, never hear him complain about how loud the birds have been. I'll never see the pride in his eyes when I go the extra mile to please him, or that smile of his when for a short period of time, he's entertained. All if it, all of him, _gone,_ with the single shot of a gun.

I don't know when Kougami leaves, only that at some point, he does. As darkness descends upon the world, it similarly sets root in my heart. All the joy I've found in living with him drains with the dimming light, until not even the tears form anymore. There simply isn't enough emotion left for them. It vaguely crosses my mind that I need to get out of here, that it won't be long before the police come and find the source of the gunshot and crying. I ignore the notion until a realization pops into the back of my mind. Shogo wouldn't want me to be caught.

I close the distance between Shogo and I, placing the softest of kisses on his still warm lips. "You weren't alone," I murmur numbly. "You were never alone. You are irreplaceable. I love you, Shogo Makashima."

I always knew this is how it'd end. With those three words I've always wanted to say, the beautiful life we lead together comes to an end. I suppose it never could have ended differently. From the day I opened the door to the sound of his voice, those three words were doomed to only dance from my mouth when death came to play. I kept myself oblivious so I could continue smiling at him, telling myself that surely, there's some other way. Surely, with all the time I've spent with him, I could change his fate. How stupid.

Gently, I move his head to rest on the ground. As I run from him as fast as I can, the tears begin again, this time flowing in silence. A hollowness threatens to engulf me, but I keep it at bay with the burn in my muscles. The second I stop running, I'll crumble in on myself, but for now I just keep going. I want to get as far away as possible. My feet just keep moving, carrying me as far from his death as they can. But my mind still lingers there. Everything stays by his side except my corporal form; my heart, my soul, my sanity, it was all thanks to him. It's only right that he takes what makes me 'me' with him when he leaves.

Nothing will ever be the same. This evening, Shogo Makashima died. With him, so did I.

* * *

I'm going to admit, as I was writing this I shed tears. I'm very connected with my original characters, which makes it easier to write their emotions believably, but that can be a downside as well. As much as I'd planned this scene from the prologue, it hurt when it came. Shogo was my favorite character from Psycho Pass, and I just killed him off again. Not only that, but I gave him a girl who loved him from the bottom of her heart and destroyed her world with his death. I'm not a very forgiving author, am I... So, the next chapter will be the last. I look forward to writing it, but it's kind of sad at the same time. It's always somewhat depressing to see my characters go. Once I stop writing about them, there's no more of them, you know? Since I create them, when I stop creating their life, it stops. So, it's always sad to end a story.

Till then, Kisses from SnowyNeko! :3 MEOW!


	12. Chapter 12

Warning: This contains content from season 2. If you don't want anything to be spoiled, you can skip reading this chapter and it will still officially be ended. If you have seen season 2, please, read on. So here's the finale. If you wish, you could consider it an epilogue. It kinda is. I've had this planned since I began writing. And I said earlier that this is the shortest story I'd written, but that was a lie. My story the Tragedy of the White Rat is also eleven chapters, which I had forgotten. It's probably actually significantly shorter due to the average words per chapter.

I, of course, do not own Psycho Pass or the characters from it. So, on with the finale!

* * *

I raise my hand and knock. Only once does my knuckle collide with the door before I lower it, waiting. It's opened by a girl my age, wearing a red jumpsuit and an eyepatch. Unable to help myself, I grin. Everything about her, her outfit, her short spiky haircut, and the gun in her hands suggests she's a classic villain. Neither of us flinches when she points the pistol at my forehead.

"You've lost all your manners, have you?" I comment, tilting my head to the side. "It's nice to meet you, former inspector Mizue Shisui."

She inspects me up and down, her eyes showing no sign of hostility or hospitality "What is your business here?"

"I'm here to talk to Kamui, of course. Are you going to let me in?" Her arm drops to her side and she steps back to let me by. I glance around, intrigued. I'm aware they had to move recently due to the discovery of their old base. Even so, all of the equipment and supplies are set up properly. They settle in quickly, don't they? The space is fairly small, with only one room attached as far as I can see.

"Sit," she commands. I do so, taking a seat in the only chair around; a doctor's office chair. It gives me the impression a man wearing a stethoscope around his neck could come in to check my heartbeat at any moment. It's been a awhile since I've been to a doctor's office. Due to my hue, which has become permanently clouded, I've had to disappear. Of course, I took my birds with me. Hunter had to go, though. I can't very well have a hologram follow me around day and night. Holograms like him have to be tied to a place with boundaries, and they vanish if they try to leave that invisible box.

From the other room, a young man walks in. His hair is dark, his eyes mismatched. You wouldn't notice it unless you really studied him, because the difference in color is only slight. I bow my head in a gesture of respect as he leans against the wall opposite of me. Mizue stays in the doorway that he just came from, watching me carefully for any signs of aggression.

"Kirito Kamui, the ghost haunting the MWPSB. It's a pleasure to meet you. My name is Esther Bryant, and I've come to ask a favor from you."

"Is there a benefit I could find in helping you? Could you farther my cause?" he asks, getting to the point. He chooses who he helps, who he clears. He won't offer the service to anyone who just happens to waltz in and ask. I smile sweetly.

"I will not help you, as the favor I am asking is for you to get me out of this country. And as far as I can see, no, there is no clear benefit for you helping me."

"Then why have you come?"

"Have you heard the name Shogo Makashima?" This earns no reaction from Kirito, but from the doorway I hear a gasp. "Ah, _you_ would have, wouldn't you Mizue? I was a companion of his. I've known him since he was a child, and I've even assisted with some of his crimes against Sybil. If you don't believe me, ask me anything about him. I can tell you which criminal cases belonged to him, if you wish. Or if you desire, I can tell you what position he usually slept in or his favorite authors. Take your pick."

"Shogo Makashima was the last huge criminal case the MWPSB took on," she informs Kirito. "He took latent criminals under his wing and encouraged them into becoming active. Division one was in charge of the case. They're the best, Chief's favorite, and yet it took forever to take him down. He couldn't even be captured alive! He ended up being taken down by an enforcer gone rogue."

"And I can tell you why he was so difficult to catch," I tell them casually. I came here without a doubt in my mind that I'd be leaving here with exactly what I came to get. "He was someone classified as criminally asymptomatic. He wasn't like you, Kirito. At least, not quite. Sybil recognized him, but it couldn't read him. His hue was always as white as snow. This along with his natural genius lead to some pretty amazing feats, if I do say so myself." I chuckle, remembering the infinite times he outwitted the police so easily. "Unfortunately, as she said, he was killed by ex enforcer Shinya Kougami. Shot in the skull after an attempt at bioterrorism. Had it been successful, he would've likely completely eradicated the Sybil system."

There's a moment of silence before Kirito addresses me. "When was this?"

"Almost two years ago," Mizue answers for me. I nod in agreement, not bothering to correct her with the exact date.

"And you came to me thinking I could export you away from Japan?"

"I would like to return to America. It's where I lived the first few years of my life. If you could be so kind, I would appreciate if you could give me enough treatment to lower my psycho pass until I'm safely away from this wretched system. Really, that is all I ask. Me, with my pets, across the ocean. I will never interfere with this country again. Unless, one day you come in need of a hacker outside of the country. Then I might comply to assist you. I personally would still like to see Sybil over and done with."

"Why are you so confident I'll help you?"

"Because I'm sure you can relate to my past companion. If he were still alive, it would have been magnificent to see you two work together. Alone, you've both accomplished more than anyone else ever could. I'm sure you would have liked to collaborate, as well. Helping me would be the same as assisting him. I'm what he's left behind."

"What was your relationship with him?" Mizue inquires. I detect a note of suspicion in her voice, despite all the information about him I've given. My smile grows weaker, and my eyes find a spot out in space to star at. I summon a piece of the sadness that I've locked away to the surface to be displayed.

"I love him." I could have said this with a completely straight face at this point. Ever since that day, those words bring nothing but numbness to me. Remembering the scene, recalling the horror, everything else can still bring me pain. But those words have gone beyond that. I can't even feel the emotion behind them anymore. I still feel the same way I always have towards him, but those words no longer describe it. They're lost to me.

"And did he love you?" Mizue's voice has shrunk, and I can tell she believes me. I choke out a small laugh in response.

"I like to think that he did," I admit roughly. "It was always hard to tell what he was thinking."

Kirito pushes from the wall and exits into the other room. Mizue appears to watch him as he does something, but neither of them kicks me out. Even after he's died, Shogo is still my trump card. The boy comes back with a vial of medication and hands it to me, along with a false prescription in case I'm questioned.

"Take two of them before you enter the docks," he directs me. "Continue to take them every night until you've arrived at your destination."

I grasp the bottle gratefully, nodding an affirmation. "Thank you."

XX

"We're back!" I announce. Huntress leaps from my arm and onto an empty stand nearby. I found it odd not having a hawk in the house after living with Hunter my entire time in Japan, so I went out of my way to find a tame hawk people found 'defective'. Huntress won't kill. Actually, it would be more accurate to say she does see live animals as food. Her instincts have been so watered down through selective breeding that she's lost all taste for live meat. She'll only eat meat from store bought packages. Still, I have to take her out daily to fly.

I barely bring my arm up in time to catch the white ball of feathers barreling towards me. "Hello!" Snowball squawks.

"Hey, boy. Where are the others?" I ask, stroking his head. Of course, he doesn't answer. A thud in the kitchen draws my attention, and I find Cranberry ransacking a box of bird treats that I recently bought. Sighing, I pry the box from his claws and store it back in the pantry, scolding the parrot.

I barely remember this kitchen from when I was a child. Since I was so young, I don't have any clear memories of what this house looked like before we moved, only faint impressions of nostalgia. When I discovered this place was unoccupied, I couldn't help myself from buying it. Money isn't an issue. There's the amount I earned from my time as a therapist, and the rest is fake. With most cash computerized, it makes it easier to illegally transfer money into my account. It's just numbers instead of actual paper.

I can't help but wonder how my parents are doing. I pretty much lost contact with them entirely when I was thirteen. I decided it would be better to cut ties with them when I moved in with Shogo, so they didn't have to get involved. However, I'm sure they were contacted after my disappearance from society. What must they think? First, their teenage daughter moves in with a man five years her senior, then they don't hear from her for years, and now she's up and vanished.

There's the possibility that I have a sibling I've never met before. As I recall, Mom and Dad had been considering having another when I left. How old would they be now? Do they even know they have an older sister? I wonder what they would've told them about me.

In the living room, I open the door to Song's cage and allow her to flutter out. Since the other birds are so big, I feel it safer to keep her in her new cage when I'm out. But she's used to flying around freely, so I leave her out often. I plop down on the leather couch, tired. It's _hot_ outside! I may not have to do much when I take Huntress flying, but the heat makes it tiring anyway. I'm tempted to lay down right now and take a nap, but there's one more bird I have to check on before I do that.

Regretfully, I push myself from my seat and trudge up the stairs. Honestly, this house is much bigger than I need. I could've easily survived in a one floor, three room shack, but I felt like I needed to get this one since I've already lived in it once before. Now, there are multiple empty rooms I rarely use. A few have stuff piled in them, but others have nothing. There's just no way for me and a few birds to properly occupy a place of this size. Maybe it'd be easier if there was one other person, but I don't expect that to ever happen. The one person I would have willingly shared this house with is gone.

I slip through the door to my room and approach the wire cage on top of my dresser. Seeing the creature inside, I crack a smile.

"It's time to wake up, Shogo. I'm home." The white dove lifts his head to gaze at me calmly, a gentle cooing floating from his throat. I reach in, lifting him into my hands. "How was your nap? I hope the others didn't bother you. I was thinking about catching some shuteye, myself." I set him atop his cage, leaving the hatch to it open in case he wants to return. Snowball doesn't really get along with Shogo, so Shogo's limited to only my room. I don't think he minds that much, especially since doves aren't big on flying.

I move my stuffed bluebird from his place on my bed, setting him on the floor before climbing on top of the sheets. There's no reason to snuggle under the covers for an afternoon catnap. I'm about to close my eyes when I see the faded book I keep on my bedside table. _Sherlock Holmes,_ the book Shogo read to me the day I accepted him. The day I decided I'd stay with him, no matter the circumstances.

Hugging the aged book to my chest, I curl into a ball and try to ignore the wetness gathering around my eyes. No matter how much time passes, the tears never stop. Today marks the three year anniversary of his death. Three years. I can't believe it's been three years. Three years since I last saw him, last heard his voice. I can still see and hear him vividly, as if we just talked the other day. How long will it be before I begin to forget? When will the memory of him begin to fade from my mind? I don't want to forget him! It was always Shogo's greatest fear, to be forgotten. I can't betray him, I can't forget. But the world is still spinning, and I'm still growing older. In a few years, I'll be as old as he was. Time erases the past, whether you want it to or not. But I can't forget!

I can't...I can't...let myself forget.

Barely containing my sobs, I drift across the divide of reality and fall into the dreams of my memories. There, I relive those precious days I spent at his side. There, everything goes right. Sybil breaks down, we escape unharmed, and we live out the rest of our days in peace. There, I can still feel the remnants of the happiness I had back when I still had all of my heart.

* * *

Hold the applause, I have stuff to say before it's really over. I'm extremely pleased with how this turned out. I said in the beginning that the romance wouldn't be too significant, and it wasn't in my opinion. It was more of an undertone throughout it, focusing on her turmoil more than her romantic feelings. I personally enjoyed writing that quite a bit more than I would have writing something completely sappy. I hope you enjoyed it as well. I extend my thanks to **One percent** , whose advice was extraordinarily helpful. And again, thank you all for reading! As an author, nothing pleases me more than my audience enjoying what I've written. As for what I'll be writing in the future, I plan on continuing or possibly finishing a crossover I've already started before moving onto an Attack on Titan story. So, with nothing more to say, I must be on my way. Until we meet again, the best wishes to you my friends!

THE END!

Till next time, Kisses from SnowyNeko! :3 MEOW!


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